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THE  MASS  AND  VESTMENTS 
OF  THE  CATHOLIC  CHURCH 


LITURGICAL,   DOCTRINAL,   HISTORICAL 

AND 

ARCHAEOLOGICAL 


BY  THE 

Rt.  Rev.  Monsignor  John  Walsh 


>    >  > 


TROY,  NEW  YORK 

TROY  TIMES  <*335**  ART  PRESS 

190*) 


Nihil  obstat 

Francis  E.  Klauder,  C.  SS.  R. 

Censor. 


Imprimatur 

4-  Thomas  M.  A.  Burke, 

Bishop  of  Albany. 

Die  1,  Jan.  1908. 


37-*'  '£ 


COPYRIGHT,  1909 
•  •   RT.'REV*    $10*ISIGNjOR  JOHN   WALSH 


•     •     % 


«  4  <     I 


i 


TO  THE 

Rt.  Rev.  Thomas  Martin  Aloysius  Burke,  D.  D. 

Bishop  of  Albany,  N.  Y., 

This  Volume 

is  dedicated  as  a  token  of 

reverence  and  affection  for  the  man,  the  priest, 

and  the  bishop  whose  qualities  of  mind 

and  heart  make  him  the  ideal 

shepherd  of  his  flock. 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 


Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  Burke's  Letter  .  9 

Author's  Preface 11 

Cardinal  Newman's  Summary  of 

the  Mass 17 


CHAPTER 


I    Liturgy  in  General 21 

II     Language  of  the  Liturgy  ...  31 

III  Different  Kinds  of  Liturgies  .     .  34 

IV  Roman  Liturgic  Books      ...  42 
V    Liturgic  Places 48 

VI    The  Liturgy  of  the  Mass  ...  61 

VII    Sacrifice  in  General  and  the  Sacri- 
fices of  the  Old  Law  ....  85 

VIII    The  Mass  the  Sacrifice  of  the 

New  Law 94 

IX    The  Mass        123 

X    Efficacy  and  Fruits  of  the  Mass  .  156 

XI    Sacrifice  of  Impetration  for  favors 

Spiritual  and  Temporal    .     .     .  175 

XII    Sacrifice  of  Propitiation  or  Sin- 

Offering             .     .              .     .  178 


Contents — Continued 

CHAPTER  PAGB 

XIII  Infallibility   or   Certainty  of  the 

Fruits  of  the  Mass      ....     185 

XIV  Infallibility  of  the  Fruits  of  Pro- 

pitiation    188 

XV    The  Application  of  the  Fruits  of 

the  Mass       193 

XVI    The    Oblata    or    Offerings    for 

Masses 205 

XVII     Where  Mass  May  be  Celebrated    233 

XVIII     Number  of   Masses   to   be   said 

daily 239 

XIX  Time  of  Celebrating  Mass      .     .     247 

XX  The  Structure  of  the  Mass     .     .     259 

XXI    The  Requisites  of  the  Mass,  Altar, 

Tabernacle 306 

XXII    Privileged  Altar  ......     333 

XXIII  Altar  Cloths,  Antependium,  Cere- 

Cloth,  Vesperal 345 

XXIV  The  Chalice  and  Paten      ...     352 

XXV     Ciborium,     Pyx,      Ostensorium, 

Lunula,  Custodia 368 

XXVI     Reservation  of  the  Sacred  Host  .     375 

XXVII    Corporal,  Pall,  Purificator  ...     378 

XXVIII    Burse,  Veil,  Finger  Towel,  Bell, 

Gong,  Osculatory,  Thurible      .     384 

6 


Contents— Continued 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

XXIX    The  Crucifix 389 

XXX    Missal,  Missal-Stand,  Altar  Cards  398 

XXXI    Candles 406 

XXXII     Bread  and  Wine 413 

XXXIII  The  Stations 421 

XXXIV  Sacred  Vestments  in  General       .  424 
XXXV    The  Amice 432 

XXXVI    The  Cincture 436 

XXXVII    The  Alb 439 

XXXVIII    The  Maniple    .......  447 

XXXIX    The  Stole 453 

XL    The  Chasuble 464 

XLI    Color  of  Vestments 479 

XLII  Supplementary  Vestments,  Papal, 
Cardinalitial,  Archiepiscopal, 
Episcopal,  Sacerdotal,  Diaconal, 

Subdiaconal 484 

Appendix 521 

Index 533 


RT.  REV.  BISHOP  BURKE'S  LETTER. 


M"  any  excellent  works  have  been  written  both 
in  Latin  and  in  the  vernacular  explanatory 
—J  of  the  Liturgy  and  the  ceremonies  of  the 
Church.  These  works  have  each  its  own  pecu- 
liar merit.  As,  however,  the  rubrics  and  the 
ceremonies  of  the  Church  are  an  inexhaustible 
subject,  this  new  work,  "The  Mass  and  Vest- 
ments of  the  Catholic  Church,"  by  Rt.  Rev. 
Monsignor  John  Walsh,  will  not  fail  to  prove 
interesting  to  the  Rev.  clergy  and  edifying  and 
instructive  to  the  Catholic  laity. 

Many  of  our  non-Catholic  brethren,  who  not 
infrequently  assist  at  the  celebration  of  the  more 
solemn  feasts  of  the  Church  are  deeply  impressed 
with  the  beautiful  ceremonial,  and  they  are 
sincerely  desirous  of  knowing  the  signification 
and  meaning  of  the  sacred  rites.  Hence  they  seek 
information  from  their  Catholic  friends.  The 
work  of  Monsignor  Walsh  which  is  written  in  a 
clear  and  lucid  style,  will  enable  the  Catholic 
readers  to  answer  all  the  questions  of  their  non- 
Catholic  friends  intelligently  and  satisfactorily. 

Monsignor  Walsh  in  his  work  treats  of  the 
history  of  the  Liturgy  and  of  the  dogmatic  and 


symbolic  signification  of  the  ceremonies  of  the 
Church.  In  his  work  he  has  embodied  all  the 
recent  decisions  of  the  Sacred  Congregation  of 
Rites,  hence  the  work  will  be  a  valuable  aid  to  the 
Rev.  clergy  in  preparing  their  instructions  on  the 
rubrics,  and  it  cannot  fail  to  be  deeply  interesting, 
nstructing  and  edifying  to  the  faithful. 
Albany,  July  29th,  1908. 

+  THOMAS  M.  A.  BURKE, 

Bishop  of  Albany. 


AUTHOR'S  PREFACE. 


s 


ometime  ago  a  convert  asked  me  to  recommend 
a  convenient  handbook  on  the  Mass  and 
Vestments,  which  would  aid  her  in  gleaning 
information  to  give  response  to  the  various  ques- 
tions proposed  to  her  by  non-Catholic  associates. 
The  remark  was  made,  that  this  topic  was  more 
and  more  occupying  the  attention  of  non-Catholics 
who,  interested  in  its  many  ceremonial  and  ritual- 
istic phases,  sought  to  be  informed  as  to  the  signi- 
ficancy  and  names  of  all  the  details  surrounding 
this  supreme  act  of  Catholic  worship. 

This  request  for  a  Manual  of  the  Mass  and 
Vestments  was  the  inspiration  of  this  volume. 
When  the  ground  was  surveyed  for  the  purpose 
of  answering  the  question,  the  author  was  sur- 
prised to  find  how  meagre  and  unsatisfactory  was 
the  available  material.  The  best  authors  are  still 
concealed,  for  popular  uses,  in  the  Latin  and  French 
tongues.  The  English  books  of  Devine,  Rock  and 
Gihr  are  either  too  voluminous  for  the  average 
taste,  which  seeks  condensation  and  rapid  research, 
or  only  deal  with  special  attributes  of  the  subject — 
prominently  its  mystic  and  devotional  aspect. 
"O'Brien,  On  the  Mass,"  for  many  years  deservedly 
held  a  supreme  practical  place,  but  in  many  respects 
it  has  grown  obsolete,  and  in  some  incorrect.     In 

11 


saying  so  much,  there  is  no  wish  to  detract  from 
the  author's  industry  and  research,  nor  to  deny 
him  all  praise  as  the  pioneer  in  a  new  field,  so  far 
as  these  labors  were  presented  to  American 
readers  in  an  English  dress. 

The  sincerity  of  this  recognition  of  his  average 
acceptableness  is  reflected  in  the  frequent  refer- 
ences to  his  painstaking  work  running  through 
this  volume. 

The  present  effort  is  an  attempt  to  meet  the 
demand  of  the  hurried  laity,  and  even  of  the  busy 
clergy,  who  may  wish  to  refresh  the  knowledge 
once  imbibed  from  more  authoritative  sources,  no 
longer  accessible. 

For  many  years  the  author  has  been  awaiting 
a  treatise  on  this  subject,  which  would  supply 
various  omissions,  and  afford  a  complete  exposition 
of  its  different  phases.  For  example,  the  state- 
ment has  been  always  made  that  the  Mass  is  a 
true  sacrifice,  and  yet  there  has  been  lacking  a 
special  chapter  on  sacrifice  and  its  essential  traits, 
to  demonstrate  the  truth  and  reasonableness  of 
the  Catholic  contention.  There  has  also  been 
wanting  a  detailed  analysis  of  the  fruits  and 
efficacy  of  the  Mass,  a  subject  of  paramount 
interest  surely  for  all  Catholics.  The  subject  was 
either  ignored,  or  dealt  with  under  cover  of  broad 
generalities  by  the  majority  of  professed  theo- 
logians. The  complexity  of  the  subject  perhaps 
was  the  bar  to  a  close  grapple  with  it.     Under  the 

12 


guidance  of  His  Grace,  the  present  Archbishop  of 
Dublin,  and  those  commanding  figures  in  theologi- 
cal science — De  Lugo,  Suarez  and  Vasquez — an 
attempt  has  been  made  to  unravel  its  tangled  web, 
and  although  no  labor  has  been  slighted  to 
simplify  it  and  make  it  intelligible,  the  author 
freely  acknowledges  its  transparency  is  not  what 
he  would  desire,  nor  has  it  yet  been  adjusted  to 
the  level  of  the  average  reader.  An  honest  effort, 
however,  has  been  made,  without  shirking  any  of 
its  difficulties  to  solve  it,  and  if  failure  is  to  be  the 
verdict,  the  sentence  should  not  fall  on  the  inten- 
tion, but  on  its  execution. 

The  section  devoted  to  the  Vestments  may 
awaken  interest  and  reflection,  even  though  it 
may  not  win  approval.  The  more  popular  and 
facile  procedure  has  been  to  trace  the  Christian 
liturgic  garments  to  a  Hebrew  ancestry,  following 
the  leadership  of  its  first  expositor,  Rabanus 
Maurus.  With  a  few  exceptions,  the  truer  method 
seems  to  be  to  ascribe  them  to  a  classic  origin — 
the  primitive  types  being  the  everyday  dress  of 
the  Roman  and  Greek  citizen.  Starting  with  this 
principle,  the  older  forms  are  described,  authorities 
cited,  probabilities  weighed,  newer  developments 
and  transformations  recorded,  and  a  note  made  of 
the  Papal  and  conciliar  decrees  which  fixed  their 
status  as  ecclesiastical  vesture. 

The  hope  is  entertained  that  the  chapter  on 
Liturgy  and  the  various  forms  it  assumes  may  not 

13 


be  considered  academic,  as  if  the  exclusive  pre- 
serve of  only  professional  liturgists.  In  all 
questions  pertaining  to  the  structure  of  the  Mass 
it  lies  at  the  root  of  their  solving.  To  many  it  is 
a  matter  of  surprise  to  learn  that  the  Mass  is  not 
always  offered  under  a  uniform  formula  or  rite. 
Not  only  do  East  and  West  differ  from  each  other, 
both  also  present  peculiar  and  distinct  varieties  of 
the  same  solemn  function  within  their  respective 
boundaries.  Whilst  this  is  true  of  the  contem- 
porary East  and  West,  the  number  of  such 
formulae  has  been  reduced  to  a  minimum  in  the 
Western  Church,  where  the  dominion  of  Rome  has 
been  exerted  in  the  direction  of  every  attainable 
uniformity.  The  result  of  this  supervision  has  been 
the  elimination  of  the  great  Gallic  rite  under  King 
Pepin,  and  of  others,  either  for  their  total  extinc- 
tion or  limitation  during  the  years  coincident 
with,  and  subsequent  to  the  Council  of  Trent. 

This  subject  of  Liturgy,  including  origin,  sphere 
of  influence  and  specific  kinds,  is  interesting  for 
the  reason  that  it  is  a  theme  of  only  comparatively 
modern  research.  Prior  to  the  sixteenth  century, 
when  the  Liturgies  of  SS.  Basil,  Chrysostom, 
James  and  Mark,  and  others  of  Eastern  ancestry 
were  first  printed,  the  data  were  wanting  for 
even  a  restricted  investigation  and  comparison. 

The  first  to  illumine  the  Greek  Liturgies  was 
Goar  in  his  treatise  on  the  Euchologium  published 
in  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century.     In  the 

14 


preceding  century,  Pamelius  edited  the  Liturgy  of 
Pope  Gregory  the  Great,  with  notes  by  Menard. 
Then  followed  Thomasius  with  the  Sacramentary 
of  Pope  Gelasius,  and  Gavanti,  Bona,  Le  Brun, 
Martene  and  Muratori  who  discoursed  on  the 
Roman  Liturgy.  Toward  the  close  of  the  seven- 
teenth century,  Bona,  Thomasius  and  Mabillon 
rescued  the  Gallican  Liturgy,  long  since  obsolete 
and  unused,  from  oblivion.  In  the  eighteenth 
century  the  Roman  Sacramentary  of  Pope  Leo  the 
Great  was  discovered.  In  the  early  part  of  the 
eighteenth,  Renaudot  revealed  valuable  informa- 
tion of  the  Liturgies  of  Alexandria  and  Antioch, 
hitherto  almost  entirely  unknown. 

Thus  it  was  not  until  the  eighteenth  century 
that  liturgic  material  was  supplied  in  such 
abundance  as  to  enable  the  student  of  Liturgies 
to  form  a  comprehensive  and  intelligent  view  of 
his  subject. 

By  travel,  observation,  research  and  an  indus- 
trious comparison  of  authorities  when  their  dicta 
varied,  the  author's  ambition  has  been  to  attain  the 
goal  of  accuracy.  There  is  no  need  to  remind  him 
that  this  claim  to  accuracy  is  only  relative.  In  a 
field  so  extensive  and  prolific  in  data,  absolute  exact- 
ness would  be  the  highest  and  rarest  achievement. 

For  the  catechetical  form  in  which  the  book  is 
cast  he  has  no  apologies  to  offer.  Some  candid 
critics  advised  another  form  akin  to  the  average 
book.     Were  he  seeking  an  easy  task  he  would 

15 


have  followed  the  exemplars  of  his  predecessors. 
Oftentimes  the  construction  and  differentiations 
of  questions  cost  him  more  thought  and  labor  than 
their  answers.  Whilst  the  answers  were  sometimes 
familiar  and  always  accessible,  the  questionnaire 
was  a  new  venture  which  demanded  constant  dis- 
crimination to  bring  forth  the  desired  information. 

With  perhaps  too  sanguine  expectancy,  he  was 
persuaded  to  the  adoption  of  the  question  form 
by,  first  of  all,  the  hope  the  book  might  some  day 
be  honored  with  acceptance  as  a  class  book  for 
advanced  pupils  in  our  Catholic  schools,  and 
secondly,  with  the  purpose  of  giving  definiteness 
and  precision  to  its  contents. 

A  book  of  solid  text  for  the  ordinary  reader  is 
a  pathless  jungle.  The  book  whose  page  is  broken 
into  paragraphs  is  like  the  forest  path  with  its 
trees  blazed  into  well-defined  trails.  The  book 
intersected  with  question  and  answer  is  the  open 
country  and  the  sure  highway  where  the  traveller 
may  always  get  his  bearings. 

For  purposes  of  verification  by  reference  and 
more  extensive  reading,  a  bibliography  is  appended 
to  many  of  the  chapters  which  may  serve  to 
widen  the  reader's  acquaintance  with  specialists, 
who  have  dealt  more  extensively  with  the  topics 
under  survey. 

St.  Peter's  Rectory, 

Feast  of  All  Saints, 

1908. 

16 


CARDINAL  NEWMAN'S  SUMMARY 
OF  THE  MASS. 


T~7|o  me  nothing  is  so  consoling,  so  piercing,  so 
thrilling,  so  overcoming  as  the  Mass  said  as 
*— »  it  is  among  us.  I  could  attend  Masses  for- 
ever and  not  be  tired.  It  is  not  a  mere  form  of 
words,— it  is  a  great  action,  the  greatest  action 
that  can  be  on  earth.  It  is  not  the  invocation 
merely,  but  if  I  dare  use  the  word,  the  evocation 
of  the  Eternal.  He  becomes  present  on  the  altar 
in  flesh  and  blood,  before  whom  angels  bow  and 
devils  tremble.  This  is  that  awful  event  which  is 
the  scope  and  the  interpretation  of  every  part  of 
the  solemnity.  Words  are  necessary,  but  as  means 
not  as  ends;  they  are  not  mere  addresses  to  the 
throne  of  grace,  they  are  the  instruments  of  what 
is  far  higher,  of  consecration,  of  sacrifice.  They 
hurry  on  as  if  impatient  to  fulfill  their  mission. 
Quickly  they  go,  the  whole  is  quick;  for  they  are 
all  parts  of  one  integral  action.  Quickly  they  go; 
for  they  are  awful  words  of  sacrifice,  they  are  a 
work  too  great  to  delay  upon;  as  when  it  was  said 
in  the  beginning:  "What  thou  doest,  do  quickly." 
Quickly  they  pass;  for  the  Lord  Jesus  goes  with 
them  as  He  passed  along  the  lake  in  the  days  of 
His  flesh,  quickly  calling  first  one  and  then 
another.     Quickly  they  pass;  because  as  the  light- 

17 


ning  which  shineth  from  one  part  of  the  heaven 
unto  the  other,  so  is  the  coming  of  the  Son  of 
Man.  Quickly  they  pass;  for  they  are  as  the 
wort's  of  Moses  when  the  Lord  came  down  in  the 
cloud,  calling  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  as  He 
passed  by  "The  Lord,  the  Lord  God,  merciful  and 
gracious,  long-suffering  and  abundant  in  goodness 
and  truth."  And  as  Moses  on  the  mountain,  so 
we  too  "make  haste  and  bow  our  heads  to  the 
earth  and  adore."  So  we  all  around,  each  in  his 
place  look  out  for  the  great  Advent,  "waiting  for 
the  moving  of  the  water."  Each  in  his  place, 
with  his  own  heart,  with  his  own  wants,  with  his 
own  thoughts,  with  his  own  intentions,  with  his 
own  prayers,  separate  but  concordant,  watching 
what  is  going  on,  watching  its  progress,  uniting 
in  its  consummation;  not  painfully  and  hope- 
lessly following  a  hard  form  of  prayer  from 
beginning  to  end,  but  like  a  concert  of  musical 
instruments,  each  different  but  concurring  in  a 
sweet  harmony,  we  take  our  part  with  God's 
priest  supporting  him  yet  guided  by  him.  There 
are  little  children  there  and  old  men  and  simple 
laborers  and  students  in  seminaries,  priests  pre- 
paring for  Mass,  priests  making  their  thanks- 
giving; there  are  innocent  maidens  and  there  are 
penitent  sinners;  but  out  of  these  many  minds 
rises  one  Eucharistic  hymn,  and  the  great  Action 
is  the  measure  and  the  scope  of  it." 

Cardinal  Newman. 

18 


CHAPTER  I. 

LITURGY  IN  GENERAL. 

What  is  the  meaning  of  the  word  Liturgy? 

It  is  derived  from  two  Greek  words  and  signi- 
fies a  public  ministry  or  work. 

What  is  its  ecclesiastical  significancy? 

It  is  the  harmony  and  uniformity  of  the  cere- 
monies and  rites  regulating  and  defining  public 
worship. 

What  is  understood  by  vublic  worship? 

The  honor  and  praise  given  to  God  in  the  name 
and  by  the  authority  of  the  Church. 

Is  all  religious  worship  publicly  offered  a 
part  of  public  worship? 

No.  It  is  necessary  to  distinguish  between 
religious  acts  performed  by  the  faithful  under  the 
individual  impulse  of  pious  inspirations,  and  the 
individual,  or  collective  acts  prescribed  by  the 
Church  and  done  in  her  name.  The  former  are 
acts  of  private  devotion  or  worship;  the  latter 
only  of  public  worship  that  appertain  to  Liturgy. 

Is  not  this  interior  private  worship  of  God 
sufficient  for  Christians? 

Although  modern  error  maintains  its  compe- 
tency, it  is  neither  sufficient  for  the  individual 


22  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

nor  God.  The  individual  instinct  craves  exterior 
worship,  and  the  sum  of  worship  due  God  is 
obtained  only  by  public  worship. 

What  are  the  motives  of  this  necessity  oj 
public  worship? 
Four: 

(a)  Human  nature  demands  it.  We  are  not 
like  the  angels,  pure  spirits.  We  are  both  body 
and  soul.  This  duality  is  the  work  of  God.  The 
two  should  honor  God;  the  soul  by  interior  wor- 
ship, and  the  body  united  to  the  soul  by  exterior, 
public  worship. 

(b)  There  is  an  irresistible  instinct  to  show 
forth  by  exterior  signs  that  which  our  soul  feels 
and  approves  interiorly.  This  is  true  of  joy,  fear, 
suffering,  etc.  It  is  also  true  of  religious  senti- 
ments. Hence  the  Psalmist  says,  "My  heart  and 
my  flesh  have  trembled  in  the  presence  of  the 
living  God." 

(c )  Sensible  objects  and  instruments  are  often 
necessary  to  quicken  the  sentiments  and  energy 
of  the  soul.  Thus,  exterior  devotions  contribute 
efficiently  to  excite  to  the  worship  of  God  and  the 
performance  of  our  religious  duties.  A  neglect  of 
them  results  in  laxity  and  indifference. 

(d)  Those  who  refuse  to  pay  public  homage  to 
God  are  not  consistent.  When  they  honor  human 
celebrities  they  are  not  content  with  mere  ad- 
miration inwardly  expressed,  but  sound  their 
praises  and  glorify  them  by  word  in  literature, 


Liturgy  in  General  23 

sculpture  and  the  pomp  of  worldly  fetes.  If 
creatures  are  thus  fittingly  honored,  why  should 
we  be  restrained  from  the  completeness  of  God's 
homage  by  public  and  external  worship? 

Is  not  then  private,  exterior  worship  suf- 
ficient? 

It  is  not,  for  the  reason,  that  the  individual  is 
neither  isolated,  nor  is  he  absorbed  in  the  com- 
monwealth. He  is  also  a  member  of  a  divinely 
constituted  society  called  the  Church,  and  as  such 
is  bound  to  render  God  a  social  and  public  service. 
This  united  homage  becomes  a  bond  of  unity  and 
Christian  comradeship  between  the  faithful,  and  a 
source  of  mutual  edification. 

What  are  the  advantages  of  this  Liturgy? 

They  pertain  to: 

1.  Individuals. 

2.  Society. 

3.  Theology. 

4.  The  Arts. 

How  does  the  Liturgy  affect  individuals? 

It  imprints  the  seal  of  nobility  on  the  body 
through  the  sacraments;  it  illumines  the  soul  by  a 
presentation  of  the  principal  mysteries  under  an 
embodiment  of  external  forms,  and  thus  becomes 
a  universal  and  popular  instruction  accessible  to 
all  men,  whether  uneducated  or  educated;  it  in- 
spires the  heart  by  the  ineffable  unction  of  the 
liturgic  text,  and  the  chant  and  ceremonies. 


24  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

How  does  it  react  on  society? 

It  is  a  bond  of  fraternal  union  between  men, 
convening  them  in  the  same  religious  assemblies, 
and  uniting  them,  by  the  mutual  proffer  of  prayers 
and  suffrages,  as  becoming  the  children  of  the 
same  heavenly  Father  and  the  brethren  of  Christ. 

What  is  the  relation  of  Liturgy  to  Theology? 

The  Church  has  uniformly  taught  through  her 
doctors  and  theologians  that  the  Roman  Liturgy 
is  the  pure  expression  of  her  doctrine.  For 
example,  Pope  Celestine  appealed  to  the  Liturgy 
as  an  unanswerable  refutation  of  the  error  of  the 
Pelagians,  denying  the  necessity  of  divine  grace, 
and  said:  "The  standard  of  prayer  determines  the 
standard  of  belief." 

St.  Augustine  also  proved  the  same  theme  by 
saying: 

"The  Church  does  not  need  to  recur  to  long 
discussions;  what  we  believe  is  found  in  our  daily 
prayers."  Leo  XIII  expresses  the  same  thought 
in  his  Encyclical  to  the  Oriental  bishops.  Whilst 
therefore  Liturgy  cannot  supplant  Theology,  it 
should  be  considered  a  locus  theologicus,  or  a 
source  from  which  theologians  may  draw  proofs 
in  favor  of  the  verity  of  the  truths  which  belong 
to  Catholic  faith. 

What  bearing  has  Liturgy  on  the  Arts? 
It  has  encouraged  and  developed  them,  because 
the  Church,  through  her  Liturgy,  has  employed 


Liturgy  in  General  25 

the  choicest  products  of  nature  and  human  taste 
and  industry,  and  appealed  to  the  many-sided 
genius  of  men. 

Give  definite  instances  of  this  encourage- 
ment? 

In  architecture,  by  the  number,  splendor,  variety 
and  costliness  of  the  churches.  In  sculpture,  paint- 
ing, printing,  plain  chant,  music,  carving,  mosaics, 
rich  fabrics  and  in  the  handiwork  of  the  gold- 
workers  and  bell-makers  the  influence  of  the 
Liturgy  has  been  potent  and  inspiring,  because,  on 
altar,  window,  sidewall,  sacristy,  baptistry  and 
tower,  the  Church  has  a  place  for  their  master- 
pieces. 

What  is  the  origin  of  the  Liturgy? 

It  has  a  Christian  origin  in  its  Christian  adap- 
tation, and  as  an  element  of  universal  worship,  it 
began  when  men  developed  and  systematized  their 
practice  of  public  worship. 

Does  it  not  owe  something  to  Judaism? 

It  is  indebted  to  Judaism  for  the  form  of  its 
primitive  assemblies  and  the  formula  of  its 
prayers  in  the  sacred  books  of  the  Old  Testament, 
such  as  the  psalms,  canticles  and  prophecies. 

How  does  it  differ  from  the  Jewish  Liturgy? 

(a)  By  the  disavowal  and  rejection  of  circum- 
cision which  is  fundamental  to  Judaism. 


26  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

(b)  By  the  institution  of  Baptism  and  Holy 
Orders,  wherein  by  the  imposition  of  hands  the 
Holy  Spirit  is  imparted. 

( c )  By  the  creation  of  the  Mass  or  Eucharistic 
Sacrifice  which  is  the  nucleus  and  centre  of  all 
Liturgy. 

id)  By  the  appointment  of  special  Christian 
feasts  which  supersede  the  Jewish  feasts,  and  by 
the  substitution  of  Churches  and,  in  the  begin- 
ning, private  houses  where  the  first  Christians  met 
for  prayer,  exhortation  and  the  breaking  of  bread, 
for  the  Temple  of  Jerusalem  which  was  the 
centre  of  Jewish  worship. 

Did  not  the  early  Church  adopt  some  ele- 
ments of  the  Liturgy  from  the  pagans'? 

There  are  some  ceremonies  in  the  Liturgy 
whose  outlines  may  be  discerned  among  pagans. 
Pagan  temples  were  rarely  converted  into  Christian 
churches,  and  pagan  feasts  transformed  into 
Christian  feasts.  By  the  adoption  and  consecra- 
tion of  these  pagan  rites  to  the  service  of  the 
true  God  they  were  shorn  of  their  pagan  signifi- 
cancy. 

Liturgy  was  defined  "as  the  harmony  and 
uniformity  of  ceremonies  and  rites  regulating 
and  defining  public  worship^  What  is  cere- 
mony? 

Ceremony  is  the  visible  and  external  action 
of  worship  fixed  and  determined  to  secure^  uni- 


Liturgy  in  General  27 

formity.     It    includes    both    the    essentials   and 
accidentals  of  that  action. 

What  is  a  Rite? 

Rite,  from  the  Latin  recte,  an  act  performed 
according  to  rule,  has  various  significations. 
Sometimes  it  is  synonomous  with  Liturgy  as,  for 
example,  a  Roman  rite  is  the  same  as  Roman 
Liturgy.  Again,  it  designates  a  particular  cere- 
mony, as  the  rite  of  the  blessing  of  water.  More 
commonly  it  signifies  the  manner  according  to 
which  a  ceremony  is  to  be  performed. 

What  is  the  meaning  of  Rubrics? 

The  rules  which  govern  the  exterior  action  of 
public  worship,  as  for  example,  the  time,  place  and 
manner  of  observing  the  rites  and  ceremonies 
appointed  by  ecclesiastical  authority. 

How  is  the  ivord  derived? 

From  the  Latin  rubrica,  a  red  earth  or  chalk, 
with  which  the  ancient  Romans  wrote  the  titles 
of  their  laws  on  the  monuments.  From  the  title 
the  name  Rubric  was  applied  to  the  law  itself. 
Later  the  Church  wrote  her  liturgic  laws  also  in 
red. 

Where  are  these  Rubrics  found? 

In  the  liturgic  books  which  include,  with  the 
ministries  of  worship,  the  rules  according  to  which 
the  sacred  functions  must  be  performed. 


28  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

How  are  Rubrics  divided? 
Into: 

1.  Essential  and  accidental. 

2.  Preceptive  and  directive. 

What  are  essential  Rubrics? 

They  are  those  without  which  the  sacred  func- 
tion is  non-existent  or  invalid,  as,  for  example,  the 
rubrics  which  prescribe  the  consecration  in  the 
Mass. 

What  are  accidental  Rubrics? 

Those  without  which  the  sacred  function  will 
exist,  as,  for  instance,  the  rubrics  which  prescribe 
inclinations  and  the  sign  of  the  cross. 

What  are  preceptive  Rubrics? 

Those  which  oblige  under  the  penalty  of  mortal 
or  venial  sin,  as  the  thing  enjoined  is  grave  or 
of  minor  importance,  as,  for  example,  the  pro- 
hibition to  add  or  subtract  anything  from  the 
celebration  of  Mass. 

What  are  directive  Rubrics? 

Those  which  merely  give  counsel  or  advice,  but 
are  not  obligatory  under  pain  of  sin,  like  the 
prayers  to  be  said,  according  to  the  priest's  con- 
venience, before  Mass. 

Who  alone  in  the  Church  has  supreme  power 
over  Liturgy? 

This  power  belongs  alone  to  the  sovereign  Pontiff. 


Liturgy  in  General  29 

Give  some  instances  of  the  exercise  of  this 
control? 

Pope  Saint  Sixtus  (119)  ordained  that  sacred 
ministers  alone  be  permitted  to  touch  sacred  ves- 
sels, and  confirmed  the  chanting  of  the  Sanctus 
in  the  Mass. 

Pope  Saint  Victor  I.  ( 193 )  decreed  that  Easter 
must  be  celebrated  on  Sunday. 

Pope  Saint  Felix  (269)  recommended  that 
Mass  be  offered  on  the  tombs  of  the  martyrs. 

Pope  Sylvester  ( 314 )  ordained  that  Mass  must 
be  celebrated  on  a  linen  cloth,  that  the  deacon  wear 
a  dalmatic,  and  he  also  issued  regulations  on  the 
consecration  of  the  holy  chrism,  and  supplying  the 
ceremonies  of  baptism  for  those  baptized  in  sick- 
ness. 

In  the  succeeding  centuries,  Leo  the  Great, 
Gelasms  and  Gregory  the  Great  enlarged  the  con- 
tent of  the  Liturgy. 

What  is  the  nature  oj  this  Papal  power  over 
Liturgy? 

It  is  supreme  and  worldwide.  It  extends  to  all 
Catholics — to  all  Churches  under  Roman  dominion, 
and  to  all  matters  appropriate  to  public  worship, 
such  as:  the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  Mass  and  of 
the  divine  office;  the  administration  of  the  sacra- 
ments; liturgic  books;  the  canonization  of  saints; 
the  institution  of  feasts,  etc. 


30  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

How  does  the  Pope  ordinarily  exercise  this 
power? 

Through  the  Sacred  Congregation  of  Rites, 
composed  of  cardinals  and  consultors,  on  whom  it 
is  incumbent  to  require  that  a  uniformity  of 
Roman  rites  shall  exist  in  all  churches  of  Roman 
communion. 

Have  bishops  any  poiver  over  the  Liturgy? 

The  bishops,  being  the  pastors  and  guides  of 
their  respective  dioceses,  have  a  specific  power  over 
the  Liturgy.  That  control  is  however  limited  and 
dependant. 

What  can  they  do  in  matters  Liturgic? 

They  can  authorize  and  appoint  solemn  votive 
Masses,  exposition  and  benediction  of  the  Blessed 
Sacrament,  prayers  at  Mass  and  processions,  bless 
and  consecrate  churches,  and  examine  liturgic  and 
doctrinal  books  printed  in  their  diocese. 

In  what  is  their  control  limited  and  depen- 
dant? 

A  bishop  cannot  create  a  special  Liturgy.  He  is 
obliged  to  accept  and  use  the  liturgic  books, 
missal,  ritual  and  others  published  by  the  Holy 
See.  He  cannot  add  to  the  offices  of  the  saints, 
nor  change  even  the  calendar  of  his  own  diocese. 
He  can  neither  establish  nor  suppress  feasts  of 
obligation.  He  cannot  be  a  judge  to  solve  doubts 
relative  to  rites  and  ceremonies  with  finality. 


CHAPTER  II. 

LANGUAGE  OF  THE   LITURGY. 

In  the  beginning  was  not  the  Liturgy  in  the 
vernacular  of  each  country? 

It  was  embodied  at  least  in  the  principal  lan- 
guages then  spoken. 

What  tvas  the  advantage  of  this  practice? 

The  faithful  had  a  clear  understanding  of  the 
prayers  expressed  in  their  language,  and  could 
participate  in  the  rites  and  ceremonies  with  edifi- 
cation and  attention. 

Why  did  this  practice  cease  notwithstanding 
its  advantages? 

(a)  Because  after  a  specific  period,  sooner  in 
the  East  than  West,  the  liturgic  text  became 
slowly  fixed  and  determined  in  these  ancient  lan- 
guages, to  which  succeeded  in  time  a  vast  variety 
of  new  dialects.  The  Church  could  not  adopt 
these  vulgar  tongues,  because  they  were  constantly 
changing  and  demanding  new  translations,  which 
imperfectly  conveyed  the  sense  and  beauty  of  the 
primitive  texts,  and  lending  themselves  to  the 
peril  of  endless  errors. 

(b)  By  adhering  to  the  ancient  text  the 
Church  more  securely  preserved  the  unity  and 
perpetuity  of  the  Catholic  faith.     A  variety  .'of 


32  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

tongues  in  the  public  worship  of  the  Church  has 
always  been  favorable  to  heresies  and  schisms,  a 
fact  attested  by  the  history  of  the  Eastern 
Church,  and  the  behavior  of  heresiarchs  who 
launched  their  errors  under  cover  of  the  novelties 
of  spoken  speech. 

(c)  The  employment  of  the  ancient  languages 
in  the  Liturgy  preserved  the  dignity  and  majesty 
of  the  sacred  ministry  of  the  Church.  Whilst  the 
primitive  tongue  had  its  perfect,  sharply  defined 
idioms,  venerable  by  their  beauty  and  antiquity — 
the  newer  vulgar  speech  was  often  devoid  of 
nobleness,  and  replete  with  trivialities  which  ill- 
assorted  with  the  majesty  and  impressiveness  of 
divine  worship. 

WJiat  are  the  elements  of  the  Latin  language 
in  use  in  the  Church? 

It  is  distinguished  by  its  precision,  vigor,  nobility 
and  clearness. 

Why  is  the  Latin  used  in  the  Roman  Liturgy? 

(a)  Because  of  its  qualities  above  enumerated. 

(b )  Because  it  is  a  principle  of  unity  between 
peoples  otherwise  differing  in  language  and  nation- 
ality. By  it  they  may  assist  in  various  countries 
at  the  offices  of  divine  worship,  not  only  with  the 
same  rites,  but  also  with  the  same  formula  of 
prayers. 

(c)  Because  the  Latin  is  the  language  of  the 
ancient  Church  and  of  its  Fathers  and  Doctors, 


Language  of  the  Liturgy  33 

and  thus  its  usage  brings  the  inheritance  of  a 
splendid  Christian  literature,  and  establishes  a  bond 
with  the  Church  of  the  first  and  later  ages. 

How  is  the  inconvenience  of  an  unknown 
tongue  obviated? 

By  the  injunction  constraining  priests  to  instruct 
the  faithful  on  the  meaning  and  purpose  of  the 
various  phases  of  the  Liturgy,  and  the  authorized 
permission,  under  Episcopal  supervision,  to  issue 
translations  in  everyday  speech  of  the  liturgic 
books. 


CHAPTER  III. 

DIFFERENT  KINDS  OF   LITURGIES. 

How  are  Liturgies  divided? 

Into  Eastern  and  Western  Liturgies. 

How  many  are  the  Eastern  Liturgies? 
Four:     Greek,  Syrian,  Armenian  and  Coptic. 

What  is  the  Greek  rite? 
The   rite   followed  by   those  Churches  which 
accepted  Constantinople  as  their  pattern. 

How  many  other  Liturgies  does  the  Greek 
include? 

Three:  Of  the  Presanctifled,  followed  on  the 
fast  days  of  Lent;  of  St.  Basil,  followed  on  these 
ten  days  of  the  year:  the  Vigils  of  Christmas  and 
Epiphany,  January  1,  the  Greek  feast  day  of  St. 
Basil,  five  Sundays  of  Lent,  Holy  Thursday  and 
Holy  Saturday;  of  St.  Chrysostom,  used  every 
other  day  of  the  year. 

What  was  the  language  of  the  Greek 
Liturgy? 

Primitively  it  was  Greek.  Now  it  is  translated 
into  Georgian,  Slavonic,  Arabic  and  Roumanian. 

What  is  the  Syrian  rite? 

The  rite  of  the  races  which  occupied  ancient 
Aramaea,  or  Syria  and  Mesopotamia  and  were  sub- 
ject to  the  patriarch  of  Antioch. 


Different  Kinds  of  Liturgies         35 

Hoiv  many  groups  of  Christians  use   the 
Syrian  Liturgy? 
Three: 

1.  The  Chaldeans  whose  liturgic  language  is 
the  Syro-Chaldaic. 

2.  The  Syrians  whose  Liturgy  is  in  the  Syriac 
tongue. 

3.  The  Maronites  who  employ  the  Syriac  in 
their  rites,  but  whose  Liturgy  has  been  modified 
and  made  to  approximate  in  many  particulars  to 
the  Roman. 

What  is  the  Armenian  rite? 

The  exclusive  rite  of  the  Armenians. 

What  is  peculiar  to  the  Armenian  rite? 

In  contrast  with  the  other  Oriental  rites  which 
include  a  variety  of  Mass  formulas  or  Ordinaries, 
the  Armenian  has  only  one,  and  therefore  it  pos- 
sesses a  distinctive  liturgic  unity. 

What  is  the  source  of  the  Armenian  rite? 

Its  source  is  predominantly  Greek,  to  which  it  is 
allied  by  many  resemblances.  The  Armenians 
attribute  it  to  St.  Basil,  St.  John  Chrysostom  and 
St.  Athanasius. 

What  is  the  Coptic  rite? 

The  rite  in  the  Coptic  language  of  the  people 
of  the  same  name  in  Egypt. 

Hoiv  many  other  rites  does  it  comprehend? 
Three:  That  ascribed  to  St.  Cyril  or  St.  Mark, 


36  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

the  rite  of  St.  Basil  and  the  rite  of  St.  Gregory, 
the  Theologian. 

What  other  rite  is  kindred  to  it? 

That  of  the  Abyssinians,  written  in  the  Geez 
language  and  including  twelve  different  varieties. 

Are  these  Oriental  Liturgies  derived  from  a 
multiple  or  single  source? 

In  the  absence  of  documentary  proof,  their  con- 
struction presupposes  a  uniform  origin  and  a 
primitive  identity  contemporary  with  the  Apostolic 
age.  The  same  rites,  like  the  imposition  of  hands, 
the  blessing  of  a  priest,  the  kiss  of  peace,  baptism 
and  the  Eucharist  are  common  to  all.  The  iden- 
tity of  the  Mass  in  the  various  formulas  is  also 
established  by  the  lections  and  chants  in  the  first 
part,  and  the  Preface,  the  Consecration,  the  pray- 
ers of  the  Canon  and  the  Communion  in  the 
second. 

According  to  a  tradition  permanent  in  the 
Oriental  Churches  who  was  the  author  of  this 
parent  Liturgy? 

St.  James,  the  Apostle  and  the  first  bishop  of 
Jerusalem. 

What  are  the  Western  Liturgies? 

The  Western  or  Occidental  Liturgies  are  those 
followed  in  countries  whose  speech  or  origin  was 
Latin  or  Roman. 


Different  Kinds  of  Liturgies         37 

What  are  these  Liturgies? 
The  Roman,  Ambrosian,  Gallican,  Mozarabic  and 
Celtic. 

What  is  the  Roman? 

The  Liturgy  in  vogue  in  the  Church  of  Rome, 
and  believed  to  be  partly  the  parent  and  font  of 
all  the  other  Western  rites. 

Is  the  primitive  Roman  rite  still  in  use? 

Its  substantial  features  may  still  be  seen  in  the 
actual  Roman  Liturgy.  It  is  also  true  that  there 
was  an  epoch  when  it  borrowed  many  details  from 
the  other  Liturgies,  and  especially  the  Gallican. 

What  are  the  most  ancient  documents  of  the 
Roman  rite? 

The  Leonian,  Gregorian  and  Gelasian  Sacra- 
mentaries,  the  Roll  of  Ravena,  and  the  Ordines 
Romani.  The  Gregorian  and  Gelasian  Sacra- 
mentaries  show  traces  of  Gallican  meddling,  and 
give  evidence  of  interpolations  which  are  foreign 
to  Rome.  There  is  also  absence  of  accord  be- 
tween the  Roll  of  Ravenna  and  the  Ordines  Romani 
and  the  Roman  rite,  as  known  from  other  sources. 
The  Leonian  Sacramentary  is  the  most  distinctly 
and  purely  Roman  of  them  all. 

What  is  the  Leonian  Sacramentary? 

It  is  a  collection  of  prayers  and  prefaces  of  the 
Mass  for  the  entire  year,  nine  months  of  which 


38  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

are  extant  in  the  Verona  manuscript,  and  an 
anthology  of  liturgic  extracts  constituting  a 
primitive  Missal. 

To  tvhat  age  is  it  attributed? 
To  the  middle  of  the  fifth  century.     Its  author 
however  cannot  be  identified  with  certainty. 

What  is  the  character  of  the  Roman  rite  as 
demonstrated  by  these  documents? 

It  is  sober,  practical,  grave  and  dignified.  The 
Mass  in  particular  is  remarkable  for  its  simplicity. 
The  poetic,  dramatic  and  spectacular  elements  like 
the  blessing  of  ashes  and  palm  branches,  the  pro- 
cession of  lighted  candles  on  the  Purification,  the 
touching  and  suggestive  ceremonies  of  Good 
Friday  and  Holy  Saturday,  and  other  analagous 
rites  are  not  found  in  the  ancient  Roman  Liturgy, 
and  are  therefore  importations  from  other 
Liturgies. 

What  is  the  Ambrosian  rite? 

The  rite  followed  by  the  Church  of  Milan,  and 
so  named  from  St.  Ambrose,  the  most  illustrious 
of  its  bishops,  not  because  he  was  its  author,  as 
it  really  antedated  him,  but  because  he  enriched  it 
with  many  prayers  and  hymns  and  introduced  the 
custom  of  chanting  the  psalms  alternately. 

What  are  its  general  features? 

In  essentials  it  resembles  the  Roman  rite,  but 
in  details  it  approaches  the  Gallican  and  Mozarabic 
Liturgy. 


Different  Kinds  of  Liturgies         39 

Was  its  usage  in  Milan  unopposed? 

Charlemagne  and  Pope  Nicholas  II.,  in  the 
eleventh  century,  and  Eugene  IV.,  in  the  fifteenth 
tried  to  substitute  the  Roman  rite  for  it,  but  the 
Milanese  refused  to  accept  it  and  Rome  refrained 
from  coercion. 

What  is  the  Gallican  rite? 

The  rite  prevailing  in  Gaul  ( France )  until  the 
middle  of  the  eighth  century. 

Hoiv  did  it  differ  from  the  Roman  Rite? 

Instead  of  the  sobriety  of  the  Roman  Liturgy, 
it  was  characterized  by  a  showy  prolixity  and  an 
immoderate  fondness  for  antithesis  in  its  prayers 
and  ejaculations. 

Hotv  did  it  cease  in  France? 

It  was  abolished  by  King  Pepin,  father  of 
Charlemagne,  at  the  solicitation  of  Pope  Stephen 
II.,  who  promised  to  crown  him  in  France  if  he 
would  impose  the  Roman  rite  on  the  churches 
subject  to  him.  Charlemagne  also  confirmed  and 
continued  this  liturgic  change. 

What  is  the  Mozarabic  rite? 

The  ancient  Liturgy  followed  in  Spain,  also 
called  Gothic. 

What  is  its  origin? 

'It  is  a  combination  of  the  primitive  Spanish  rite 
and  the  rite  which  the  conquering  Goths  brought 


40  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

with  them.  Having  been  constructed  in  the 
golden  Church  era  of  Spain  and  by  such  illustrious 
doctors  and  saints  as  Isidore,  Ildephonsus,  Leander, 
Eugene  and  Julian,  it  is  penetrated  with  a  pro- 
found theology  and  illumined  with  an  abundance 
of  Patristic  learning. 

How  long  did  it  prevail  in  the  Spanish 
Church? 

Until  the  year  1080,  when  it  was  partially  suc- 
ceeded by  the  Roman  rite  at  the  instance  of  Popes 
Alexander  II.,  Urban  II.,  and  Gregory  VII. 

Has  it  entirely  disappeared  from  Spain? 

Spanish  adherence  to  the  Mozarabic  rite  never 
yielded  entirely  to  Papal  commands,  and  at  the 
beginning  of  the  sixteenth  century  the  famous 
Cardinal  Ximenes  reconstructed  its  debris  into  a 
modified  rite,  still  predominantly  Mozarabic,  and 
obtained  permission  from  the  Holy  See  to  follow 
it  in  the  Cathedral  of  Toledo,  and  seven  other 
churches  in  Toledo  and  Salamanca. 

What  is  the  Celtic  rite? 

The  formula  of  public  worship  among  the  Celts 
of  Ireland  and  Britain,  and  moderately  adopted 
by  the  Anglo-Saxons.  In  its  structure  it  approxi- 
mated the  Gallican  and  Mozarabic  rites,  and  was  dis- 
tinguished from  these  by  the  peculiar  personal 
character  of  its  prayers. 


Different  Kinds  of  Liturgies         41 

What  is  the  contemporary  status  of  all  these 
Liturgies? 

By  decrees  of  Pius  IX.,  and  Leo  XIII. ,  the  Ori- 
ental Liturgies  are  legitimately  celebrated  in  their 
respective  churches,  and  explicit  assurance  given 
them  that  the  Eastern  Church  will  be  guaranteed 
for  all  time  the  enjoyment  of  its  special  rites. 

In  the  Western  Church,  the  unremitting  efforts 
of  the  Holy  See  have  tended  toward  liturgic  uni- 
formity by  the  imposition  of  the  Roman  rite 
and,  barring  the  rare  exceptions  noted,  it  is  in 
general  usage. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

ROMAN   LITURGIC  BOOKS. 

Where  are  the  rules  and  formulas  of  prayers 
of  the  Liturgy  contained? 

In  the  liturgic  books,  which  are  six: 

The  Missal. 

The  Breviary. 

The  Ritual. 

The  Martyrology. 

The  Pontifical. 

The  Ceremonial  of  Bishops. 

What  is  the  Missal? 

The  Missal  or  Mass-Book,  from  Missa  (Mass) 
contains  the  rubrics,  prayers  and  titles  of  Masses 
for  the  entire  year.  Its  place  is  primary  among 
the  liturgic  books. 

By  whom  ivas  it  published? 

The  Roman  Missal  having  been  carefully  cor- 
rected in  obedience  to  a  Tridentine  decree  was 
definitely  published  by  Urban  VIII.,  in  1634. 

What  is  the  Breviary? 

The  Breviary,  from  Breviarium  ( an  abridge- 
ment or  epitome )  contains  all  the  prayers  of  the 
Divine  Office  which  all  those  in  Sacred  Orders,  Sub- 
deacons,  Deacons,  Priests  and  Bishops  are  obliged, 
unless  dispensed,  to  recite  every  day  in  the  name 
of  the  Church. 


Roman  Liturgic  Books  43 

Of  what  is  the  Breviary  an  Epitome? 

For  many  centuries  the  Divine  Office  was  longer 
than  at  present  and  divided  between  a  number  of 
books,  as  for  instance,  the  Psalter,  Antiphonary, 
Homilary,  Legendary  and  Passional,  and  our 
present  Breviary  is  a  consolidation  and  abbrevia- 
tion of  these  books  and  their  prayers,  homilies, 
psalms,  etc. 

By  whom  was  it  published? 

It  was  first  published  in  1568  by  St.  Pius  V., 
corrected  in  1602  by  Clement  VIII. ,  and  finally  re- 
viewed and  amended  by  Urban  VIII.,  in  1631. 

How  many  parts  or  divisions  does  the 
Breviary  comprise? 

Four:  Corresponding  to  the  four  seasons  of  the 
year. 

What  does  each  part  contain? 

1.  The  Psalter  adjusted  to  each  day  of  the  week 
and  the  regular  offices. 

2.  Extracts  from  the  Scriptures  and  homilies  of 
the  Fathers  and  Doctors. 

3.  Biography  of  saints  and  special  offices. 

4.  Prayers,  psalms  and  lections  common  to  the 
saints. 

5.  Votive  offices  for  each  day  of  the  week. 

6.  Various  prayers. 

7.  A  supplement  of  offices  for  certain  localities. 


44  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

What  is  the  Ritual? 

The  Ritual,  from  ritus,  (ceremony)  contains 
the  regulations  to  be  observed  by  a  priest  in  the 
conferring  of  such  sacraments  and  in  the  per- 
formance of  such  functions  as  fall  within  his 
competency;  also  the  prayers  to  be  recited  in  his 
diverse  ministry.  An  appendix  gives  the  Bless- 
ings and  Instructions  approved  by  the  Holy  See. 

By  whom  was  it  published? 

It  was  corrected  by  order  of  Paul  V.,  and  pub- 
lished in  1614.  It  was  further  reformed  by 
Benedict  XIV.,  and  published  in  1752. 

What  is  the  Martyrology? 

It  is  the  Book  of  Martyrs  which  contains  the 
names,  biographies  and  eulogies  of  the  saints 
which  the  Church  honors  every  day  of  the  year. 

By  whom  was  it  published? 

Its  origin  is  very  ancient.  It  was  successively 
published  after  necessary  corrections  by  Gregory 
XIII.,  in  1584,  and  again  by  Popes  Sixtus  V., 
Urban  VIII.,  Clement  X.,  and  Benedict  XIV. 

When  is  it  read? 

The  Martyrology,  which  may  be  called  the 
official  calendar  of  the  Christian  year,  is  read  each 
day  in  the  solemn  or  choral  recitation  of  the 
Office  after  the  first  prayer  of  Prime. 


Roman  Liturgic  Books  45 

What  is  the  Pontifical? 

The  Pontifical,  from  vontifex,  (pontiff  or  bis- 
hop) contains  the  consecrations,  blessings  and 
other  functions  reserved  to  bishops,  as  the  conse- 
cration of  altars,  the  holy  oils,  churches,  chalices, 
and  the  administration  of  the  sacraments  of  Con- 
firmation and  Holy  Orders. 

By  whom  was  it  published? 

The  first  edition  was  published  by  Clement 
VIII.,  in  1596,  and  the  last  by  Benedict  XIV.,  in 
1752. 

What  is  the  Ceremonial  of  Bishops? 

A  book  which  contains  the  ceremonies  to  be 
observed  by  the  highest  prelates  and  their  attend- 
ants in  Cathedrals,  Metropolitan,  Collegiate  and 
great  churches  at  Pontifical  Mass,  Vespers,  the 
Divine  Office,  Requiem  services  and  special  feasts. 

By  whom  was  it  published? 

By  Clement  VIII.,  in  1600.  It  was  then  revised 
by  various  Popes  and  finally  issued  by  Benedict 
XIV.,  in  1752. 

What  other  liturgic  books  are  sometimes 
used? 

1.  A  Memorial  of  Rites,  or  a  Ceremonial  which 
is  a  supplement  to  the  Missal,  and  gives  in  the 
vernacular  a  detailed  order  to  be  followed  in  a 
variety  of  functions  and  in  different  churches. 


46  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

2.  Octavary,  or  book  of  Roman  octaves  of 
feasts  for  those  who  have  not  the  office  ordinary 
of  the  Breviary. 

3.  Diurnal  or  compendium  of  the  Breviary. 

4.  Graduale  and  Antiphonary  containing  the 
chant  of  the  Mass  and  Office. 

5.  Paroissien  or  Missal  for  the  laity,  comprising 
extracts  from  the  Missal  and  Breviary  for  the  use 
of  the  faithful. 

What  were  the  ancient  liturgic  books? 

•  The  Sacramentary,  Evangelary,  Epistolary,  Leg- 
endary, Psalter,  Passional,  Baptistery,  Penitential 
Canons,  Processional,  Roman  Orders,  Benediction- 
ary  and  the  Diurnal  of  the  Popes. 

What  are  the  liturgic  books  now  used  by 
those  who  follow  the  Greek  or  Constantinople 

rite? 

1.  Anagnosis  or  lectionary. 

2.  Diaconicon  for  the  use  of  deacons. 

3.  Agiasmos  for  the  solemn  blessing  of  water. 

4.  Anthologion,  containing  the  offices  of  Our 
Lord,  the  Blessed  Virgin  and  the  Saints. 

5.  Eucologion  or  ritual. 

6.  Liturgicon  embodying  the  three  Liturgies  of 
St.  Basil,  St.  John  Chrysostom  and  of  the  Pre- 
sanctified. 

7.  Typicon  or  Ordo  of  offices. 


Roman  Liturgic  Books  47 

8.  Pentecostarion   for  the  Office   from   Easter 
until  the  Octave  of  Pentecost. 

9.  Hymnologion  or  collection  of  hymns. 

10.  Menaehon  for  the  offices  of  Saints. 

11.  Menologe  or  Marty rology. 


CHAPTER  V. 

LITURGIC   PLACES. 

What  is  a  liturgic  place? 
A  place  blessed  or  consecrated,  or  simply  des- 
tined for  some  function  of  worship. 

Enumerate  the  special  liturgic  places? 

1.  Sacred  edifices,  churches  or  oratories. 

2.  Crypts. 

3.  Sacristies. 

4.  Cemeteries. 

Are  buildings  especially  blessed  for  public, 
worship  necessary? 

Yes,  even  though  God  fills  all  space  by  His  im- 
mensity and  may  be  worshipped  in  any  place. 
The  custom  of  all  religions  has  been  to  localize 
God  and  the  worship  due  him.  This  custom 
encourages  respect  and  reverence  for  God  and 
holy  things,  secures  calm  and  recollection,  the 
essentials  of  worship,  and  a  direct  appeal  to 
devotion.  For  the  most  of  mankind,  the  uni- 
verse or  temple  of  nature  with  all  its  magnificence 
will  never  speak  so  directly  to  the  heart  as  the 
humble  village  church. 

What  are  those  consecrated  places  called? 
In  English,  Churches,  from  the  German  Kirche, 
and  Greek  Kyriakos   (of  the  Lord),  and  in  the 


Liturgic  Places  49 

Latin,  Ecclesia  (an  assembly  or  congregation), 
which  in  time  was  transferred  to  the  place  of 
assemblage.  They  are  also  called  Domus  Dei 
(House  of  God),  for  the  double  reason  of  affec- 
tionate reverence  and  a  belief  in  the  Real  Presence 
of  the  Eucharist.  The  name  temple  was  repug- 
nant to  the  early  Christians,  as  hinting  of  pagan- 
ism and  was  never  used  except  with  the  prefix 
"holy"  or  "sacred." 

What  was  the  first  Christian  Church? 

The  Cenacle  or  supper  room  where  Christ  cele- 
brated the  Pasch  with  his  Apostles  and  instituted 
the  holy  Eucharist. 

Where  was  the  first  Christian  worship  held? 

In  ordinary  houses  of  the  period  which  con- 
structively were  adapted  to  Christian  worship,  or 
rather  to  all  the  services  of  a  Christian  com- 
munity. 

What  was  their  construction? 

They  had  entrance  from  the  public  road,  a 
courtyard  surrounded  by  a  colonnade  (atrium), 
and  at  the  back  another  court,  bath-room,  living 
rooms,  cellars  and  offices  of  all  kinds  arranged 
around  the  inside  courts.  This  sort  of  building 
could  be  readily  adjusted  to  the  three  components 
of  a  Christian  assemblage,  the  faithful,  the  cate- 
chumens and  the  penitents,  besides  providing  a 
dwelling  for  the  bishop  and  his  clergy,  a  deposi- 


50  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

tory  for  papers,  books  and  sacred  vessels  and  a 
storehouse  for  clothing,  bedding  and  provisions 
for  the  poor  and  strangers.  This  Domus  Eccles- 
ise  (house  of  the  Church)  in  those  early  days 
was  a  complex  institution,  being  at  the  same 
time  a  church,  episcopal  residence,  refectory,  dis- 
pensary and  an  almshouse. 

The  place  of  worship  in  it  assumed  a  special 
dignity  and  reverence.  The  other  parts  came 
gradually  to  be  detached  from  it,  and  never 
shared  its  sacred  character.  The  Domus  Eccles- 
ise  became  the  Domus  Dei  (Home  of  God),  the 
place  where  Christians  met  the  Lord — the  Domi- 
nicum  therefore  in  Latin  and  Kyriakon  in 
Greek. 

When  were  Churches  dedicated? 

Immediately  after  the  persecution  of  Diocletian 
we  have  notices  of  such  dedications.  The  earliest 
was  that  of  Tyre  in  314,  described  by  Eusebius, 
who  also  having  been  the  preacher  inserts  the 
sermon  of  the  occasion  in  his  history. 

Besides  these  urban  churches,  where  did  the 
early  Christians  meet  for  worship? 

In  cemeteries,  in  the  catacombs,  and  over  the 
tombs  of  martyrs.  These  cemetery  chapels  were 
used  for  funeral  services,  Masses,  anniversaries 
and  for  the  funeral  agape  (love )  or  love-feasts 
of  the  primitive  Christians.  Especially  popular 
were  the  graves  of  the  martyrs.     To  shelter  the 


Liturgic  Places  51 

crowds  praying  at  these  shrines  and  to  honor  the 
heroes  of  the  faith,  edifices  of  exceptional  size  and 
costliness  were  erected.  If  they  did  not  enshrine 
the  actual  tomb  the  relics  were  borne  to  them  with 
solemn  ceremonial.  This  was  a  second  triumphal 
interment — a  depositio. 

In  the  beginning,  this  type  of  church  was  scarce 
when  limited  to  those  constructed  over  the  veri- 
table tombs,  because  the  cult  and  memory  of  such 
martyrs  was  relatively  few  in  number.  Later,  by 
a  ritualistic  fiction  and  a  devotional  ingenuity  it 
came  to  be  recognized  that  a  single  martyr  could 
have  many  tombs.  Any  relic  whatever — a  piece 
of  linen  saturated  with  his  blood,  a  bit  of  a  pall 
covering  his  sarcophagus,  a  modicum  of  oil  from 
the  lamps  in  his  sanctuary  would  represent  him, 
and  the  possession  of  any  of  these  objects  would 
be  equivalent  to  the  interment  of  his  body.  In  this 
way  representative  tombs  could  be  indefinitely 
multiplied,  and  soon  the  churches  with  relics  out- 
numbered the  others,  and  as  their  superior  prestige 
was  confessed  and  accepted,  it  became  a  general 
custom  to  insert  relics  in  the  altar  of  every  church. 
When  these  were  not  available,  portions  of  the 
Gospel  and  even  consecrated  Hosts  were  used  as 
substitutes. 

What  are  the  Catacombs? 

They  are  extended  subterranean  galleries  form- 
ing a  labyrinth  of  tortuous  ways,  low  down  and 


52  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

narrow,  often  of  various  floors  superimposed, 
underlying  the  city,  but  oftener  under  the  out- 
skirts, and  with  a  number  of  distinct  approaches 
and  exits. 

How  did  they  serve  the  early  Christians? 

In  the  age  of  persecution  they  offered  a  provi- 
dential asylum  where  they  escaped  the  blood- 
thirsty fury  of  the  pagans,  where  they  were  able 
to  assemble  the  faithful  for  worship  and  instruc- 
tion, and  they  also  provided  a  burial  place  for 
their  dead,  and  notably  for  their  sainted  martyrs. 

In  the  age  of  peace  how  did  Christian  piety 
signalize  itself? 

By  an  enthusiastic  ardor  for  the  construction 
of  churches.  Constantine  and  his  sainted  mother, 
Helen,  led  the  way  and  their  example  was  uni- 
versally followed.  By  imperial  munificence 
sumptuous  basilicas  were  reared  in  Rome,  Con- 
stantinople, Antioch  and  Jerusalem. 

What  was  the  origin  of  these  edifices? 

A  large  number  were  new  constructions.  In 
some  instances  special  dwellings  were  adapted  to 
Christian  worship.  It  was  the  exception  to  trans- 
form pagan  temples  into  Christian  churches. 
More  frequently  they  were  demolished  and  their 
material  worked  into  a  new  structure,  whilst  the 
architectural  form  of  aisle,  divided  by  columns  in 
their  basilicas,  served  as  a  pattern  for  the  new 
edifices. 


Liturgic  Places  53 

Wliat  architectural  type  did  these  Churches 
take? 

(1)  The  Greek  with  its  row  of  columns  surround- 
ing three  or  four  sides  of  the  central  building, 
forming  a  portico  or  peristyle,  bonded  together  by 
entablature  and  pediment,  and  whether  Doric, 
Ionic  or  Corinthian  dependent  on  the  character  of 
column  and  capital.  The  aim  of  all  Greek  archi- 
tecture was  external  beauty  as  illustrated  in  the 
Athenian  Parthenon,  for  a  long  period  used  as  a 
Christian  church,  and  among  modern  edifices,  the 
famous  Madeleine  of  Paris  with  the  addition  of 
a  dome  which  is  not  Greek. 

(2)  The  Roman,  an  adaptation  of  Greek  archi- 
tecture with  the  auxiliary  of  the  arch  over  doors 
and  windows  and  vaulted  ceilings,  unknown  to  the 
Greeks.  The  Roman  Basilica,  from  the  Greek  6a- 
silikos  ( kingly,  royal )  the  Roman  law  court  with 
its  apse  where  the  judges  sat  on  a  raised  platform, 
and  its  nave  and  lateral  aisles  divided  by  columns, 
furnished  the  pattern  of  the  early  Roman  Church. 

(3)  Byzantine,  popular  in  Constantinople,  and 
carried  to  its  perfect  form  in  the  church  of  Sancta 
Sophia.  The  Romans  often  built  tombs  and 
temples  in  a  circular  shape  and  the  Byzantine  is 
an  elaboration  of  this  style.  Baptisteries  and 
churches  followed  this  exemplar. 

(4)  Romanesque,  called  by  the  French  Romance 
and  by  the  English  Norman,  a  development  from 
the  Roman  with  many  structural  alterations. 


54  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

(5)  Medieval  Gothic,  derived  from  the  Roman- 
esque with  the  substitution  of  the  pointed  for  the 
round  arch.  The  Romanesque  sought  expansion, 
the  Gothic  aerial  elevation.  Its  home  was  France, 
and  the  period  of  its  grandest  display  the  twelfth 
century. 

(6)  Renaissance,  the  creation  of  the  classical  re- 
vival in  the  fifteenth  century  when  the  intellect 
and  taste  of  Italy  became  enamoured  of  Greek 
and  Roman  antiquity.  Hitherto  architecture  was 
creative;  now  it  is  imitative,  and  architects  were 
content  to  copy  the  artistic  creations  of  the  ancient 
Roman  and  Greek  world  that  had  escaped  destruc- 
tion. In  the  beginning,  they  followed  closely  the 
lines  of  antique  construction  and  decoration,  but 
in  the  sixteenth  century  there  was  the  assertion 
of  the  dexterity,  caprice  and  individual  fancy  of 
the  builder,  and  the  introduction  of  more  elaborate 
ornament  than  was  dreamt  of  by  Greek  or  Roman. 

( 7)  Modern  Gothic,  a  recoil  from  the  supremacy 
of  classical  architecture  which  had  held  sway  for 
two  hundred  years.  This  reaction  began  in  Eng- 
land in  the  nineteenth  century  under  that  en- 
thusiastic pioneer,  Pugin,  and  was  immediately 
adopted  in  France,  Belgium,  Germany  and  the 
United  States. 

What  are  the  principal  parts  of  a  church 
called? 

The  belfry  or  campanile    (Italian),   vestibule, 


Liturgic  Places 


55 


nave,  from  navis  (ship) 
from  its  shape,  transept, 
choir,  chapels  and  sanc- 
tuary. 

How    are    churches 
divided? 

Into: 

1.  Basilicas. 

2.  Stations. 

3.  Cathedrals. 

4.  Collegiate  Churches. 

5.  Parish  Churches. 

6.  Simple  Churches. 

7.  Oratories  or  Chapels. 


Ortens 


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PLAN  OF   ANCIENT  CHURCH 


What  is  a  Basilica? 

A  Basilica,  from  the 
Greek  basileion  (royal  house)  is  that  Church 
which  holds  the  first  place  in  point  of  dignity 
and  privileges.  There  are  two  classes:  the  major 
and  minor  Basilica. 

What  are  the  Major  Basilicas? 

They  are  churches  of  the  first  order  and  num- 
ber five  in  Rome:  of  St.  Peter,  St.  Paul,  St.  John 
Lateran,  St.  Mary  Major  and  St.  Lawrence  beyond 
the  wall.  Outside  Rome,  there  are  the  basilicas 
of  St.  Francis  of  Assisi  and  the  Cathedral  of 
Anagni. 

What  are  the  Minor  Basilicas? 


56  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

They  are  churches  of  the  second  rank,  which 
differ  from  the  first  only  in  point  of  privi- 
leges and  spiritual  favors.  There  are  some  of 
these  in  Rome  and  a  few  in  the  Catholic  world. 

What  are  Stations 

They  are  churches  possessing  the  tomb  of  an 
apostle  or  martyr,  to  which  processions  were 
made  on  certain  fixed  days  for  the  celebration  of 
Mass. 

What  is  a  Cathedral? 

Cathedral,  from  cathedra  ( chair )  is  the  church 
in  a  diocese  of  the  titular  bishop,  where  his  throne 
is  set  up  and  where  he  officiates.  These  attri- 
butes make  it  a  church  of  exceptional  dignity. 

How  are  Cathedrals  divided? 

Into  Simple  and  Metropolitan.  The  Cathedral 
Metropolitan  from  the  Greek  (Mother-City)  is 
the  church  occupied  by  an  archbishop. 

How  many  classes  of  Metropolitan  Cathedrals 
are  there? 

Three:  Simple,  Primatial  and  Patriarchal,  con- 
tingent on  their  occupancy  by  Archbishop,  Primate 
or  Patriarch.  The  patriarchal  dignity  belonged 
originally  to  the  Sees  founded  directly  by  St. 
Peter.  Hence  Rome,  Antioch  and  Alexandria,  to 
which  St.  Peter  assigned  St.  Mark,  representing 
Europe,  Asia  and  Africa.  In  time,  Antioch  and 
Alexandria  were  lost  to  the  church  and  although 


Liturgic  Places  57 

derelict,  she  yet  lays  claim  to  them.  Hence  the 
patriarchal  title  retained  by  the  chief  Roman 
basilicas:  St.  Mary  Major  for  Antioch;  St.  Paul's 
for  Alexandria;  St.  Peter's  for  Constantinople  and 
St.  Lorenzo  for  Jerusalem,  suppressed  since  1847, 
when  a  resident  patriarch  took  possession  of  the 
Jerusalem  See. 

Minor  patriarchates  were  conferred  on  Grado, 
transferred  to  Venice,  Lisbon,  Goa,  India,  and 
formerly  Bourges,  France. 

What  is  a  Collegiate  Church? 

Collegiate,  from  the  Latin  collegium  ( assembly, 
community)  is  a  church  served  by  Canons  who 
celebrate  the  office  in  choir  every  day.  Thus  its 
liturgical  meaning  differs  from  the  conventional 
and  ordinary  which  would  connect  it  with  a  col- 
lege. These  Canons  are  distinct  from,  and  inferior 
to  the  Cathedral  Canons.  Such  churches  were, 
prior  to  the  Revolution,  frequent  in  France.  Now 
they  are  infrequent. 

What  is  a  Parish  Church? 

A  church  to  which  a  titular  cure,  pastor  or 
rector  is  appointed.  Auxiliary  chapels  to  the 
principal  church  served  by  the  same  clergy  are 
called  succursals,  vicarial  chapels,  and  chapels  of 
ease. 

What  is  a  Simple  Church? 
A  church  possessed  by  members  of  a  Religious 
Order,  in  the  locality  of  their  canonical  establish- 


58  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

ment,  independent  and  separated  from  the  parish 
church,  where  certain  functions  like  the  chanting 
of  the  canonical  hours  and  the  celebration  of  Mass 
are  performed,  and,  by  permission  of  the  bishop, 
preaching  and  the  hearing  of  confessions. 

Why  are  the  privileges  of  a  Simple  Church 
curtailed? 

To  safeguard  the  rights  and  emoluments  of  the 
canonical  incumbent  of  the  parish  church. 

What  is  an  Oratory  or  Chapel? 

An  Oratory  from  the  Latin  oratorium  (place 
of  prayer)  and  Chapel,  in  Latin  cavella  (a  little 
cape  or  cloak )  from  the  small  cloak  of  St.  Martin 
of  Tours  which  the  Merovingian  Kings  kept  in  a 
special  oratory  of  the  palace,  the  name  of  the  relic 
passing  to  the  oratory,  are  both  alike  places  of 
prayer  and  worship. 

How  are  Oratories  distinguished? 

As  public  and  private  Oratories.  A  public  Ora- 
tory has  an  entrance  on  a  thoroughfare  which 
offers  free  access  to  the  faithful.  A  private 
Oratory  is  really  a  domestic  chapel  built  in  a 
private  house  and  entirely  subject  to  its  family. 

Give  examples  of  public  Oratories? 

The  Chapels  of  religious  houses,  hospitals, 
seminaries,  colleges,  prisons,  Episcopal  palaces  and 
chapels  of  religious  communities  subsidiary  to  the 
principal  Chapel. 


Liturgic  Places  59 

What  are  the  privileges  of  a  Public  Oratory? 

It  is  blessed,  and  in  it  may  be  offered  divine 
functions  in  whole  or  part,  and  the  faithful  may 
discharge  the  precept  of  hearing  Mass.  When 
these  concessions  are  a  trespass  and  menace  to 
local  parochial  rights  they  may  be  abridged  by 
Episcopal  authority. 

What  is  the  condition  for  Mass  in  a  private 
Oratory? 

It  is  imperative  to  obtain  the  permission  of  the 
Holy  See. 

Who  may  satisfy  the  precept  oj  hearing  Mass 
in  a  private  Oratory? 

Those  who  have  received  the  Indult  of  a  pri- 
vate chapel  and  the  sharers  of  their  privilege, 
like  children  and  grandchildren,  parents  and 
relatives  to  the  fourth  degree  of  kindred,  noble 
guests  and  servants  of  the  family. 

What  is  a  Crypt? 

Crypt,  from  a  Greek  word  which  means  to  hide 
or  conceal,  is  a  duplicate  subterranean  Church  situ- 
ated under  chapel  or  choir,  or  an  entire  upper 
church,  which  has  its  own  altars,  relics  and  tombs. 
It  must  at  least  have  an  altar  to  be  a  crypt.  It  is 
a  memorial  of  the  catacombs  of  the  early  years, 
where  Christians  were  buried  and  where  they 
concealed  the  Sacred  Mysteries  from  the  profana- 
tions and  insults  of  their  enemies.  They  are  used 
as  burial  places  for  royalty,  bishops,  cures  and 


60  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

worthy  nobles,  and  as  meeting  places  for  religious 
fraternities  and  the  teaching  of  catechism. 

What  is  the  Sacristy? 

The  Sacristy,  from  the  Latin  sacr avium  (holy 
place)  is  that  part  of  the  Church  convenient  to 
the  Sanctuary  where  the  priest  and  his  ministers 
vest  for  the  services,  and  where  the  holy  vest- 
ments and  sacred  vessels  and  linens,  etc.  are  kept. 

What  does  the  word  Cemetery  signify? 

According  to  its  Greek  original  it  signifies  a 
dormitory  where  the  bodies  of  the  dead  lie  asleep 
awaiting  the  resurrection.  Like  the  churches  and 
public  chapels,  it  receives  a  benediction  which 
may  be  forfeited  for  the  same  causes  that  destroy 
the  blessing  of  a  church,  and  then  there  is  need 
of  a  reconciliation.  Only  Catholics  may  be  buried 
in  consecrated  ground,  and  sometimes  for  reasons 
fixed  by  statute  nominal  Catholics  may  be  excluded 
from  Christian  burial.  Primitively,  the  altar  was 
set  up  among  the  graves  of  the  dead,  and  later 
the  churchyard  encompassed  the  church.  Now 
the  requirements  of  sanitation  in  crowded  com- 
munities and  the  prescriptions  of  law  banish 
cemeteries  to  outskirts  and  detach  them  from  the 
churches. 

Bibliography:  Origin  of  Christian  Worship,  Duchesne; 
Les  Origines  Liturgiques,  Dom  Cabral;  American  Ecclesias- 
tical Review,  June  1,  1904;  LAmi  du  Clerge,  August  16, 
August  30,  September  13,  September  27,  October  25,  1906, 
May  23,  July  11,  1907. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE   LITURGY   OF  THE   MASS. 

What  is  the  meaning  of  Liturgia  or  Liturgy? 

Liturgy  or  Liturgia,  Leiton  (public)  and  Ergon 
(a  work)  in  the  East  is  the  sole  appellation  for 
the  Mass;  in  the  West  it  is  a  collection  of  all  the 
rites  and  ceremonies  employed  by  the  church  in 
her  sacred  offices  and  in  the  administration  of  the 
sacraments. 

Is  there  an  identity  of  meaning  between 
Liturgy  and  Rubrics? 

No.  Liturgy  includes  the  rules  and  formulae 
pertaining  to  the  sacred  functions  of  the  church 
generally,  whilst  Rubrics,  rubrum  (red)  are 
the  directions  in  red  letters  for  the  proper  per- 
formance of  any  particular  ceremony. 

Is  the  Liturgy  or  Formulary  of  the  Mass 
and  the  Sacraments  uniform  in  the  Church? 

In  the  church  of  St.  Clement's  time— the  end  of 
the  first  century— there  was  not  only  a  definite 
framework,  but  more  or  less  uniformity  in  the 
substance  and  very  language  of  the  liturgical 
prayers.  The  Liturgy,  however,  was  not  accepted 
as  fixed  and  unalterable  by  the  early  church.  A 
large  measure  of  discretion  in  modifying  details 
was  left  to  the  bishops  to  suit  local  conditions  and 
was  exercised  by  Popes,  St.  Leo  and  St.  Gregory 


62  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

of  Rome,  and  St.  Basil  and  St.  Cyril  of  Alexandria. 
Identity  of  general  outlines  and  divergence  of 
details  are  the  notes  that  distinguish  the  earlier 
Mass  formularies.  Difference  there  was  in  the 
various  services  to  the  onlooker  and  participant, 
in  prayer,  movement  and  correlation  of  parts,  but 
beneath  all  the  diversity  there  runs  a  singular 
unanimity  of  faith  in  the  Divine  Victim,  in  the 
confession  of  human  weaknesses,  and  in  the  source 
whence  healing  and  strength  are  to  come. 
Mention  some  of  the  ancient  Liturgies? 

( 1 )  The  West  Syrian  group  in  which  is  its  most 
ancient  type  called  the  "Greek  St.  James,"  which 
has  been  the  matrix  and  root  of  the  different 
Liturgies  used  by  the  Syrian  Jacobites;  the 
Liturgy  of  St.  Basil,  St.  Chrysostom  and  the 
Armenian  rites  with  some  modifications.  The 
Mass  of  the  Greek  church  of  to-day  is  according 
to  the  Liturgy  of  St.  Chrysostom  for  all  days 
except  fast  days  and  Sundays  in  Lent  and  a  few 
other  days,  when  the  formulary  of  St.  Basil  and 
that  of  the  Presanctified  is  followed. 

(2)  The  East  Syrian  family  reared  in  the  Patri- 
archate of  Antioch,  which  comprised  the  Malabar 
Liturgy  used  by  the  Christians  of  the  Apostle,  St. 
Thomas  in  India  until  the  Portuguese  conquest, 
and  the  present  day  Liturgy  in  vogue  among  the 
Nestorians. 

(3)  The  Alexandrian  group  with  its  earliest  ex- 
tant Liturgy  called  "St.  Mark's,"  somewhat  changed 


The  Liturgy  of  the  Mass  63 

under  the  influence  of  Constantinople,  and  the  rite 
followed  by  the  few  orthodox  Christians  who  re- 
mained briefly  in  Egypt  after  the  great  Mono- 
physite  heresy.  It  also  includes  the  two  Liturgies 
used  by  the  Egyptian  Copts  and  the  rite  of  the 
Ethiopians,  which  is  the  Mass  of  the  heretical 
Monophysites  of  Abyssinia. 

These  three  families  belong  to  the  Eastern 
Church. 

(4)  In  the  Western  Church  was  the  Hispano- 
Gallic  family,  a  puzzle  to  experts  in  Liturgy  who 
endeavor  to  trace  its  ancestry.  Some,  like  Sir  W. 
Palmer,  find  its  archetype  in  Asia  Minor  before 
the  Council  of  Laodicea  in  the  fourth  century. 
Others,  like  Duchesne,  discern  an  Oriental  paren- 
tage and  a  direct  introduction  into  Milan  by  the 
Arian  bishop  Auxentius  about  the  middle  of  the 
fourth  century.  The  structural  aspects  of  this 
family  ally  it  with  East  and  West.  Its  most  dis- 
tinguished offspring  are  the  Liturgy  of  the  Church 
of  Lyons,  no  longer  in  use,  the  Ambrosian  rite 
still  permitted  in  the  Church  of  Milan  and  the 
Mozarabic  rite  of  Toledo  in  Spain. 

(5)  The  Roman  Liturgy  which  is  the  form  now 
followed  generally  in  the  Western,  as  the  rite  of 
St.  Chrysostom  is  the  standard  of  the  Eastern 
church. 

How  do  the  Ambrosian  and  Mozarabic  rites 
derive  their  Names? 
The  first  from  St.  Ambrose,  bishop  of  Milan  (374). 


64  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

The  second  from  "mostarab,"  a  participle  of  the 
Arab  verb,  "estarab,"  i.  e.  to  Arabize,  which  was 
applied  as  a  nickname  to  those  Christians  in  Spain, 
who,  under  Moorish  dominion,  remained  faithful  to 
their  religion  and  adopted  the  Arab  dress  and 
mode  of  life  to  escape  persecution.  The  rite 
received  its  name  because  it  was  a  Moorish 
concession  granted  to  so-called  Arabianized 
Christians.  Its  origin  is  credited  to  St.  Isidore, 
of  Seville,  but  very  probably  it  was  the  original 
rite  in  use  among  the  Christians  in  Spain.  It 
is  also  called  the  Gothic-Spanish,  Isidorian  and 
Toledian  rite. 

In  how  many  Spanish  churches  is  the  Moz- 
arabic  rite  followed? 

It  was  gradually  supplanted  by  the  Roman 
Liturgy,  so  that  at  the  end  of  the  fifteenth  cen- 
tury it  was  followed  only  in  six  churches  in  Toledo 
on  great  feasts.  Cardinal  Ximenes  ( 1517 )  built 
the  beautiful  chapel  of  Corpus  Christi  in  the 
Cathedral  of  Toledo,  to  which  he  attached  a  chap- 
ter of  thirteen  priests,  and  here  daily  until  now 
the  Office  is  recited  and  Mass  offered  according  to 
the  Mozarabic  rite.  On  Sundays  and  feast-days 
it  is  also  the  accepted  rite  in  the  churches  of  St. 
Mark  and  Sts.  Justina  and  Rufina  of  the  same 
city,  and  at  Salamanca  in  the  chapel  of  St.  Salva- 
dor in  the  old  cathedral  on  sixteen  appointed  days 
the  Mozarabic  Mass  is  of  obligation. 


The  Liturgy  of  the  Mass  65 

What  are  the  earliest  authorities  verifying 
the  Roman  Liturgy? 

(1)  The  most  ancient  is  a  Sacramentary  dis- 
covered by  Blanchini  at  Verona  and  attributed  by 
him  to  St.  Leo  the  Great.  Muratori  and  Ballerini, 
however,  ascribe  it  to  an  unknown  Roman,  a  con- 
temporary of  Felix  III.  (790). 

(2)  The  Gelasian  Sacramentary  of  Pope  Gelasius 
(492 ),  the  scholarly  product  of  the  labors  of  Cardi- 
nal Thomasius  and  Gerbert  in  collating  and  compar- 
ing various  MSS.  of  the  eighth  and  tenth  century. 

(3)  The  Gregorian  Sacramentary  of  the  time  of 
Hadrian  I.  (790). 

St.  Gregory  the  Great  at  the  end  of  the  sixth 
century  revised  the  Liturgy,  gave  us  the  present 
form  of  the  Canon  of  the  Mass,  placed  the  Pater 
Noster  after  the  Canon,  reduced  the  number  of 
Prefaces  and  Collects  and  rearranged  them. 

What  are  the  Liturgies  in  use  in  the  Eastern 
and  Western  Church  of  to-day? 

In  the  East,  the  Liturgies  of  St.  John  Chrysos- 
tom  and  St.  Basil,  Bishop  of  Caesarea  in  Cappa- 
docia,  hold  undisputed  sway  except  among  the 
Maronites  and  Syrians,  where  a  modified  Liturgy 
of  St.  James,  admittedly  the  most  ancient,  pre- 
vails; in  the  church  of  Jerusalem  and  some 
islands  in  the  Greek  Archipelago  the  original 
Liturgy  of  St.  James  is  used,  and  in  the  Patri- 
archate of  Alexandria  a  diluted  Liturgy  of  St. 
Mark  is  followed. 


66  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

The  Liturgy  of  St.  John  Chrysostom  is  accepted 
by  the  Russian  church  in  the  Empire  of  Russia, 
not  in  its  Greek  form,  but  in  Slavonic,  which  is  the 
liturgical  language.  It  is  also  the  liturgical  guide 
in  the  four  Patriarchates  of  Constantinople,  Alex- 
andria, Antioch  and  Jerusalem;  among  the 
Mingrelians,  Wallachians,  Ruthenians,  Rascians, 
Bulgarians  and  Albanians;  in  the  kingdom  of 
Greece  and  its  dependencies,  as  also  with  the 
United  Greeks  or  Roman  Catholic  Greeks  in  Italy, 
the  Austrian  Empire  and  the  four  Patriarchates 
mentioned  above. 

The  dual  form  of  Mass  celebration  as  typified 
by  the  Chrysostom  and  Basil  Liturgies,  still  extant 
in  the  Eastern  church,  is  a  curious  and  a  convinc- 
ing example  of  the  tenacity  with  which  the 
Oriental  Christian  clings  to  its  ancient  rites.  The 
two  are  thus  adjusted:  The  Liturgy  of  St.  Basil 
on  the  Vigils  of  Christmas  and  Epiphany,  the 
feast  of  St.  Basil,  January  1,  and  all  the  Sundays 
of  Lent,  except  Palm  Sunday,  Holy  Thursday  and 
Holy  Saturday;  the  Liturgy  of  St.  John  Chrysos- 
tom on  the  other  week  days  and  Sundays  of  the 
year,  except  on  the  ferial  days  of  Lent,  when  the 
service  of  the  Presanctifled,  called  the  Liturgy  of 
the  Presanctifled  is  used  instead  of  the  Basilian 
and  Chrysostom  rites. 

In  the  Western  Church,  the  Roman  Liturgy 
holds  a  commanding  and  nearly  universal  head- 
ship.    The  only   exceptions   are   the   Ambrosian 


The  Liturgy  of  the  Mass  67 

rite  in  Milan,  and  the  Mozarabic  in  a  single  chapel 
of  the  Toledo  (Spain)  Cathedral,  where  it  has  a 
full  beneficed  canonry,  and  in  the  old  Cathedral 
of  Salamanca  (Spain)  sixteen  times  in  the  year, 
and  in  a  few  churches  of  Toledo  on  Sundays 
and  Holydays. 

The  Gallican  or  Lyonese  rite  and  the  Sarum 
rite  of  English  celebrity,  deriving  its  name  from 
Salisbury,  whose  cathedral  was  its  chief  exponent, 
have  entirely  disappeared,  except  in  the  re- 
searches of  the  archaeologists  who  study  their 
structure  to  trace  their  origin  and  the  laws  of 
their  growth. 

What  are  the  prominent  characteristics  of 
these  Liturgies? 

(1)  All  Liturgies  approximate  each  other  the 
farther  they  are  traced  back.  The  more  ancient 
agree  more  closely  than  the  modern.  Thus  our 
Good  Friday  service  and  the  Greek  St.  James  are 
in  closer  agreement  than  their  offspring,  the 
Roman  Mass  and  the  Liturgy  of  Constantinople 
of  to-day. 

(2)  The  points  of  agreement  between  the  vari- 
ous Liturgies  must  have  come  from  some  uniform 
source,  and  none  is  more  reasonable  than  the 
teaching  of  the  Apostles,  who  while  allowing 
freedom  of  detail  insist  on  substantial  uniformity 
in  the  general  structure  and  character  of  the 
service. 


68  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

(3)  The  chief  points  of  contact  between  the 
Liturgies  are:  the  reading  of  Scripture,  the  prayer 
of  the  faithful,  the  kiss  of  peace,  the  preface,  pre- 
ceded by  the  Sursum  Corda  and  followed  by  the 
Sanctus,  the  commemoration  by  the  celebrant  of 
the  living  and  the  dead,  the  recital  of  the  institu- 
tion of  the  Holy  Eucharist  with  the  words  of 
consecration,  the  commemoration  of  our  Lord's 
passion  and  death,  the  Pater  Noster,  the  Commu- 
nion with  its  preparation  and  thanksgiving.  The 
only  discord  in  these  harmonies  is  that  of  lan- 
guage and  sequence. 

(4)  All  but  one  of  the  features  of  the  Liturgy 
are  enshrined  in  the  Roman  Mass  of  to-day — the 
prayer  of  the  faithful  being  found  only  in  the 
Mass  of  the  Presanctified  on  Good  Friday.  In  its 
contents  and  structure,  therefore,  there  is  high 
possibility  of  Apostolic  handiwork. 

(5)  The  general  arrangement  and  some  of  the 
language  of  the  Roman  Mass  may,  by  very  prob- 
able inference,  be  ascribed  to  St.  Clement  (93) 
and  even  to  St.  Peter. 

(6)  The  Canon  of  the  Mass  was  altered  to  an 
uncertain  extent  within  two  centuries  after  the 
Apostles.  In  the  beginning  of  the  fourth  century 
it  came  into  almost  its  present  form.  In  the  sixth 
century,  St.  Gregory  the  Great  made  a  few 
changes  and  left  it  as  we  have  it  now. 

(7)  Renaudot,  the  great  liturgiologist,  gives  us 
this  suggestive  summary: 


The  Liturgy  of  the  Mass  69 

"Hence  shines  out  clearly  that  likeness  of  pray- 
ers and  rites  which  confirms  the  ancient  doctrine 
of  the  whole  church  concerning  the  Eucharist." 

All  ancient  Liturgies,  orthodox  and  heretical,  are 
constructed  on,  or  permeated  by  the  sacrificial 
character  of  the  Holy  Eucharist  and  our  Lord's 
Real  Presence  therein.  Deny  the  Mass  as  a 
Sacrifice  and  the  Real  Presence,  and  every  invo- 
cation, petition  and  detail  of  these  Liturgies  become 
irrelevant  and  unmeaning. 

What  is  the  source  of  the  frame-work  of  the 
first  Liturgy? 

There  has  been  a  tradition  always  in  the  church, 
as  SS.  Jerome  and  Gregory  Nazianzen  bear  wit- 
ness, that  the  Christian  church  derived  its  services 
from  the  Synagogue. 

How  was  the  first  Mass  Celebrated? 

Cardinal  Bona  in  his  great  work  on  the  Liturgy 
declares  that  lights  were  certainly  used  after  the 
manner  of  the  ancient  Hebrews,  and  vestments 
very  different  from  the  garb  of  every  day  life. 
In  confirmation  of  this  latter  fact,  he  mentions 
that  the  chasuble  of  St.  Peter  was  conveyed  from 
Antioch  to  the  church  of  St.  Genevieve  at  Paris 
and  there  carefully  preserved. 

Was  there  any  definite  Liturgy  in  the  Mass 
oj  the  earliest  age  of  the  Church? 

There  is  a  consensus  of  opinion  among  liturgi- 


70  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

ologists  that  there  was  no  definite  Liturgy  beyond 
the  words  of  Consecration  and  the  Lord's  prayer. 

What  was  this  Liturgy  of  the  Apostles  called? 

It  was  called  the  Clementine  Liturgy,  which 
through  the  first  three  centuries  remained  un- 
changed, and  in  substance  is  believed  to  be  en- 
shrined in  the  second  and  third  books  of  the 
Apostolic  Constitutions,  compiled  very  probably  in 
Asia  Minor. 

Were  any  changes  made  in  this  Liturgy? 

Pope  St.  Damasus  (384),  St.  Leo  the  Great 
(461 ) ,  and  Gelasius  I.  ( 496 )  added  new  Prefaces 
and  prayers.  Gregory  the  Great  (604)  con- 
densed many  additions  of  his  predecessors  and 
excised  some  and  changed  others. 

What  reason  do  they  offer  for  this  statement 
of  an  Indefinite  Liturgy? 

Because  the  stress  and  terror  of  persecution,  or 
other  circumstance,  made  it  necessary  to  shorten 
and  expedite  the  Mass  as  much  as  possible. 

Do  they  support  the  statement  by  any  au- 
thority? 

Yes,  by  the  authority  of  St.  Gregory  the  Great, 
in  his  letter  to  John,  the  Syrian. 

Is  the  letter  capable  of  only  this  interpreta- 
tion? 

Liturgical  experts  like  Probst  and  Le  Brun 
discover  in  the  same  letter  expressions  corrobora- 


The  Liturgy  of  the  Mass  71 

ting  a  Canon  of  the  Mass,  in  addition  to  the  Our 
Father.  Besides  "Orationem  dominicam" — the 
Lord's  prayer — St.  Gregory  refers  to  an  "Orationem 
oblationis" — the  prayer  of  offering — said  in  the 
Mass,  which  may  be  the  equivalent  of  our  Canon. 

Ij  this  be  not  the  meaning  of  St.  Gregory, 
what  fallows'? 

It  places  him  in  opposition  to  his  predecessors, 
who  explicitly  affirmed  the  Apostolic  origin  of 
parts  of  the  Liturgy.  It  arrays  him  against  St. 
Justin  in  the  second  century,  who  declares  that 
the  Liturgy  of  his  time  had  been  delivered  to  the 
faithful  by  the  Apostles.  It  places  him  in  an 
attitude  of  hostility  to  the  discovered  lost  passages 
of  St.  Clement's  Epistle  ( first  century ) ,  in  which 
are  revealed  such  striking  verbal  identities  with 
the  Alexandrian  Liturgy  as  to  justify  the  belief 
that  the  Pontiff  was  quoting  the  text  of  the  Mass. 
So  cautious  a  scholar  as  Dr.  Lightfoot,  grounding 
his  conclusions  on  this  Clementine  letter,  believes 
that  at  the  end  of  the  first  century  a  Liturgy  in 
substance  and  uniformity  existed. 

What  then  is  the  safe  assumption  touching  a 
primitive  Liturgy? 

We  may  safely  assume  that  the  central  and  sub- 
stantial framework  of  the  Liturgy,  or  form  of  the 
Mass,  was  delivered  orally  by  the  Apostles  to  their 
disciples. 


72  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

How  long  did  this  oral  deliverance  continue? 

LeBrun  inclines  to  the  opinion  that  it  continued 
until  the  fifth  century.  This,  however,  appears 
like  a  hasty,  ill-considered  guess.  There  is  con- 
clusive evidence  in  favor  of  existing  liturgical 
formulae,  definite,  written  and  accepted  in  the 
second  century.  Celsus,  the  notorious  anti-Chris- 
tian philosopher  (second  century)  affirms  that 
he  has  seen  the  "barbarous  books"  of  the  Chris- 
tians "with  daemonic  names  and  portentous  ex- 
pressions." Origen's  reply  suggests  that  he  must 
have  seen  the  liturgical  books,  and  not  merely  the 
dyptichs  or  tablets  on  which  were  inscribed  the 
names  of  those  prayed  for,  as  was  generally 
supposed. 

The  "Servers  and  Hymns"  of  St.  Justin,  and 
the  "ordering  of  the  prayers"  of  Origen  are  only 
intelligible  when  understood  of  set  formulae,  and 
this  contention  is  further  strengthened  by  the 
very  close  identity,  not  merely  in  substance,  but 
even  in  expression  between  the  Liturgies  and  the 
liturgical  allusions  in  these  and  others  of  the  early 
fathers.  Besides,  St.  Irenaeus  and  Tertullian 
censure  the  Gnostics  for  corrupting  the  Liturgy, 
which  is  more  intelligible  of  a  written  text  than  a 
deliverance  by  word  of  mouth. 

What  is  the  oldest  extant  type  of  the  exter- 
nal ceremonial  oj  the  Mass? 

In  the  fourth  chapter  of  the  Apocalypse,  where 
a  description  of  heaven  is  so  graphic  a  replica  of 


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74  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

the  Holy  Sacrifice  as  to  preclude  the  possibility  of 
the  resemblance  being  accidental.  In  any  event, 
the  verisimilitude  is  so  striking  that  the  Christians, 
at  the  end  of  the  first  century,  hearing  the  pas- 
sage read  would  discern  all  the  dominant  features 
of  the  Mass,  at  which  they  were  about  to  assist. 
The  bishop  seated  on  his  throne  at  the  end  of  the 
church  in  the  apse  surrounded  by  his  twenty-four 
white-robed  presbyters;  the  lamps  burning  before 
the  Divme  Presence;  the  chant  of  the  Sanctus 
taken  up  by  the  elders;  the  Eucharistic  praises  for 
the  blessing  of  creation  and  redemption;  the 
descent  among  them  of  the  central  figure,  the 
lamb  "standing  as  it  were  slain,"  were  the  sacro- 
sanct scenes  enacted  before  their  senses,  the 
reality  of  which  was  hidden  behind  the  veil. 
Is  it  a  strain  on  the  verities  that  much  of  the 
ritual  was  moulded  on  this  description?  Unless 
these  ceremonies  already  existed  their  significance 
would! have  been  lost  on  the  disciples  of  St.  John. 

What  causes  are  responsible  for  this  diver- 
sity of  Liturgy? 

Local  conditions,  difficult  now  to  designate  and 
analyze,  and  weighty  general  influences  which 
are  ascertainable. 

Hoiv  will  we  account  Jor  the  additions  made 
to  the  same  Liturgy  in  the  progress  of  time? 

Chiefly  by  the  play  of  these  larger,  more  com- 
prehensive agencies. 


The  Liturgy  of  the  Mass  75 

What  are  these  important  influences? 

(1)  The  Disciplina  Arcani,  or  the  Discipline  of 
the  Secret  already  referred  to  in  the  derivation  of 
the  word  Mass.     The  early  church  kept  from  the 
heathen,  the  unbaptized  and  the  uninstructed  a 
full  knowledge  of  these  mysteries  of  the  Faith, 
apt  to  be  misunderstood.      Only  the  baptized,  and 
instructed,  and  worthy  were  allowed  to   remain 
through  the  entire  Mass.     This  reverential  reserve 
applied  more  particularly  to  the  Holy  Eucharist, 
about  which   had   gathered   the   most   revolting 
accusations  and  perversions  of  the  heathen,  against 
which  the  Christians  rarely  defended  themselves, 
because  their  defense  would  fall  on   incredulous 
and  hostile  ears.     Even  when  St.   Justin  trans- 
gressed the  reservation  in  his  reply  to  the  Emperor, 
Antoninus  Pius,  whilst  we  can  follow  his  reason- 
ing, we  also  feel  it  is  all  an  unintelligible  jargon 
to  the  Pagans,  and,  therefore,  that  all  such  vindi- 
cations are  like  the  nebulous  pillar-guide  of  the 
Jews  in  the  desert— a  bright  light  to  friend— a 
dark  shadow  to  enemy.     Because  of  this  reserve, 
the    Catechumens   (Katecheo — teach    orally)   or 
those  under  instruction   and  preparing  for  Bap- 
tism were  dismissed  from  the  church  after  the 
sermon  and  before  the  Canon,  or  sacrificial  part  of 
the  service.  This  discipline  cut  the  Mass  in  twain — 
into  that  of  the  Catechumens   and   that  of   the 
Faithful. 


76  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

(2)  The  penitential  Discipline  of  the  early  church 
also  contributed  its  share  in  moulding  the  elements 
of  the  Mass.  It  was  the  age  when  public  and  the 
grosser  delinquencies  of  Christians  were  penalized 
before  the  faithful,  scandalized  and  humiliated  by 
their  transgressions.  As  the  Catechumens  were 
divided  into  two  classes — the  Hearers,  or  the  un- 
instructed  who  expressed  a  wish  to  join  the 
church,  and  the  Elect  or  Competents,  who  with  a 
completed  instruction  stood  expectantly  on  the 
threshold  of  Baptism,  so  there  were  four  kinds  of 
Penitents:  The  Weepers,  who  stood  in  the  outside 
porch  or  Narthex;  the  Hearers,  who  stood  in  the 
second  porch;  the  Prostrates,  whose  place  was 
near  the  Ambo,  or  pulpit,  and  the  Co-standers  or 
Consistentes,  who  were  allowed  to  mingle  with 
the  faithful  in  the  nave  near  the  altar  and  assist 
at  the  entire  Mass,  though  barred  from  Com- 
munion. 

The  eighth  book  of  the  Apostolic  Constitutions 
contains  the  Liturgy  called  the  Clementine,  very 
probably  the  oldest  of  all  formularies  in  the 
Western  Church,  in  which  are  the  rubrics  of  a 
Mass  when  the  discipline  of  exclusion  was  en- 
forced. It  was  applied  to  four  classes;  the  Cate- 
chumens, the  Energumens  or  possessed,  the  Com- 
petents and  the  Penitents.  Over  each  of  these 
the  deacon  uttered  a  bidding  prayer  soliciting  the 
intercession  of  the  faithful,  and  they  in  turn 
answering    "Kyrie    eleison,"   then    over    bowed 


The  Liturgy  of  the  Mass  77 

heads,  the  celebrants  pronounced  a  prayer,  after 
which  they  filed  out  of  the  church. 

The  Kyrie  eleison  before  the  Gloria  of  our 
present  Mass  seems  to  be  a  vestige  of  this  practice, 
which  St.  Gregory  testifies  was  in  use  before  his 
time,  whilst  tradition  supplements,  that  Pope 
Sylvester  introduced  the  Kyrie  from  the  East. 

(3)  The  relaxation  and  final  disappearance  of 
the  Discipline  of  the  church,  catechumenal  and 
penitential,  and  the  vanishing  of  the  Discipline  of 
the  Secret  necessitated  a  reconstruction  of  the 
Mass.  Very  probably,  canonical  penances,  of 
which  there  is  yet  a  memory  in  the  name  and 
time  limits  of  indulgences,  began  to  decline  soon 
after  persecution  ceased,  to  disappear  entirely  at 
different  periods  in  different  localities.  The  Dis- 
cipline of  the  Secret  held  sway  longer.  The  East 
saw  the  last  of  it  at  the  end  of  the  fifth,  and  in  the 
West  it  continued  until  the  middle  of  the  sixth 
century. 

The  disuse  of  the  ritual  over  the  catechumens 
and  penitents,  and  their  absorption  as  it  were  into 
the  body  of  the  faithful,  with  the  privilege  of 
staying  through  the  entire  service,  left  a  void 
which  was  filled  in  the  Roman  Mass  by  the  Gloria 
in  Excelsis,  and  by  the  Collects,  of  which  the 
older  Liturgies  had  a  very  large  assortment. 

(4)  The  slow  but  progressive  growth  of  the 
festivals  and  saints'  days  of  the  ecclesiastical  year 
in  the  West  necessitated  the  adoption  of  many  so- 


78  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

called  variables,  such  as  special  collects,  prefaces 
and  additions  to  the  communicantes,  to  express  the 
mysteries  and  commemorate  the  saints  memorial- 
ized. 

(5 )  Finally,  the  divorce  between  the  East  and 
West  which  entered  on  its  first  stage  when  Con- 
stantine  transferred  his  throne  to  Constantinople, 
caused  further  divergence  between  the  Liturgies. 
The  preeminence  of  the  Roman  See  led  to  the  sub- 
stitution of  the  Roman  rite  for  the  Hispano- 
Gallican,  the  other  great  Liturgy  of  the  West, 
which  now  survives  only  in  Salamanca  and 
Toledo  under  the  name  of  Mozarabic  where  it  was 
installed  by  Cardinal  Ximenes. 

The  Gallican  rite  ceased  to  exist  in  the  ninth 
century,  although  it  continued  to  leave  a  very 
definite  impress  on  the  medieval  rituals  of  England, 
France  and  Germany,  which  were  nominally 
Roman  with  Hispano-Gallic  details. 

In  the  East,  the  political  supremacy  of  Constan- 
tinople, and  its  doctrinal  orthodoxy  at  the  time  of 
the  great  heresies,  of  which  the  mystery  of  the 
Incarnation  was  so  long  the  storm-centre,  gave  it 
also  a  liturgical  ascendancy  which  established  its 
ritual  as  the  standard,  according  to  which  all 
Liturgies  of  the  Orthodox  church  were  constructed. 
Some  of  these  in  their  very  primitive  form  may 
still  be  found  among  the  Nestorians  and  Mono- 
physites. 


\* 


The  Liturgy  of  the  Mass  79 

What  and  how  'many  were  the  ancient  books 
containing  the  rubrics  arid  prayers  to  be 
observed  and  recited  in  the  Mass? 

(a)  The  Sacramentary,  or  Book  of  Mysteries, 
which  contained  the  prayers  or  collects,  prefaces, 
canon  and  the  prayers  after  communion.  The 
canon  was  always  contained  in  a  separate  volume, 
and  placed  in  the  middle  of  the  altar  as  it  is  now 
in  a  bishop's  Mass. 

( b )  The  Lectionary,  which  contained  the  lessons 
from  the  Old  Testament,  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles, 
Epistles  and  the  Apocalypse,  distributed  through 
the  ecclesiastical  year  and  read  in  the  Mass.  Because 
many  of  these  lessons  were  extracts  from  the 
Epistles  of  St.  Paul,  the  book  was  also  called  the 
Epistolary  or  Apostolic. 

(c)  The  Evangelary,  which  contained  the 
various  gospels  from  the  four  Evangelists,  to  be 
read  in  the  Mass  throughout  the  year.  This  book 
was  borne  with  solemn  pomp  to  the  altar  at  the 
beginning  of  Mass,  and  next  to  the  cross  was  the 
most  treasured  symbol  in  the  sacrifice.  The 
Evangelary  and  the  Lectionary  were  also  called 
the  Companion,  by  excellence,  because  the  clergy 
were  enjoined  to  make  them  their  special  vade- 
mecums  and  manuals. 

{d)  The  Antiphonary,  which  contained  the  an- 
tiphons  and  psalms  for  the  Introit,  the  Gradual, 
Tract,   Offertorv   and   Communion,   which   were 


80  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

sung  in  choir.     It  was  also  called  the  Antiphonal, 
Responsal  and  Gradual. 

(e)  The  Roman  Ordos,  which  contained  the 
rites  and  ceremonies  for  the  sacred  functions,  just 
as  the  preceding  volumes  contain  the  text  of  their 
prayers  and  lessons.  These  Ordos  were  comprised 
in  fifteen  volumes,  of  which  the  first  treats  of  the 
Mass,  and  is  ascribed  to  the  seventh  century. 
Eight  deal  with  the  Mass,  Baptism,  Ordination 
and  other  functions,  and  belong  to  the  eighth 
century.  The  six  remaining  are  of  a  date  subse- 
quent to  this.  The  equivalent  of  these  in  the 
church  now  are  the  Roman  Pontifical  and  the 
Ceremonial  of  bishops. 

When  were  these  separate  books  combined 
into  one  volume? 
In  the  ninth  century. 

Why  were  they  combined? 

Because  their  separate  use  became  very  onerous 
and  difficult  in  the  celebration  of  private  masses. 
The  corporate  volume  was  called  a  plenary  Missal, 
because  it  contained,  in  full,  all  the  prayers  and 
lessons  and  rubrics  necessary  for  a  low  Mass. 
Vestiges  of  the  ancient  custom  are  yet  discernible 
in  the  use  of  a  Missal  and  Canon  in  a  Pontifical 
Mass,  and  of  an  Evangelary  and  Lectionary  for  the 
ministers,  and  Gradual  for  the  choir  in  a  Solemn 
High  Mass.  The  employment  of  altar  cards  may 
also  be  taken  as  an  echo  of  the  same  ancient  usage. 


The  Liturgy  of  the  Mass  81 

What  is  the  name  oj  the  Mass-Book  now  in 
use? 

It  is  called  the  Roman  Missal. 

Does  it  differ  from  the  Plenary  Missal  of  the 
ninth  century? 

It  does  in  many  respects. 

Why  was  the  Roman  Missal  published  and 
substituted  for  other  missals? 

Because,  with  the  exception  of  the  Canon  of  the 
Mass,  which  had  remained  unchanged  from  the 
time  of  Pope  Gregory  the  Great,  the  older  missals 
had  introduced  into  the  Mass  many  unauthorized 
changes  and  additions  which  were  departures  from 
the  purity  and  simplicity  of  the  Gregorian  Liturgy. 
Many  dioceses  had  their  own  special  missals,  differ- 
ing not  only  in  the  prayers,  but  also  in  the  saints 
commemorated  and  honored,  and  too  often  these 
saints  were  canonized  by  private  devotion  or  re- 
gard, without  reference  to  the  authorization  of  the 
church. 

Who  began  and  perfected  the  restoration  oj 
the  Roman  Missal? 

The  Council  of  Trent  (Session  XVIII)  Febru- 
ary 16,  1562,  entrusted  the  correction  of  the 
Missal  to  a  special  committee,  and  after  its  ad- 
journment, to  the  reigning  Pope,  Pius  V. 

This  Pope  assigned  the  duty  to  certain  learned 
scholars,  who,  after  a  studious  research  and  com- 


82  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

parison  of  the  various  liturgical  manuscripts  in  the 
Vatican  library,  and  consultation  with  the  experts 
in  sacred  Liturgy,  submitted  their  report  to  the 
Pope.  The  report  became  the  Roman  Missal,  and 
was  published  with  a  Papal  Bull,  July  14,  1570. 

What  did  this  Pope  order  with  reference  to 
the  Missal? 

He  forbade  any  priest,  subject  to  the  Roman 
rite,  to  say  or  sing  Mass  otherwise  than  according 
to  the  formula  of  the  Roman  Missal,  and  he 
ordered  that  all  other  Missals  be  rejected  and 
their  use  discontinued. 

What  other  Missals  may  be  retained? 

Those  Missals  may,  but  not  necessarily,  be  re- 
tained, which  remained  in  uninterrupted  use  for 
two  hundred  years,  from  the  time  of  their  ap- 
proval by  the  Holy  See  to  the  adoption  of  the 
new  Missal  in  1570.  Under  this  exception  the 
Carthusians  and  Dominicans  use  their  own 
Missal.  Others,  like  the  Franciscans,  have  a 
special  mass-book  called  the  Roman-Seraphic  Mis- 
sal, because  whilst  conforming  to  the  Roman 
Missal  in  the  manner  of  saying  Mass  they  are 
allowed  special  Masses  for  the  saints  of  their  own 
Order  and  also  special  Prefaces. 

What  Popes  further  revised  and  corrected 
the  Roman  Missal? 

Clement  VIII.  (1604).     As  the  Vulgate  version 


The  Liturgy  of  the  Mass  83 

of  the  New  Testament  did  not  appear  till  1590- 
1592,  Pius  V.  followed  in  his  Missal  the  reading 
of  the  version  called  Itala.  Afterwards,  without 
consulting  the  Holy  See,  certain  publishers  issued 
new  missals  adapted  to  the  Vulgate.  The  Pope 
interdicted  these  missals,  and  restored  the  Roman 
Missal  to  its  former  integrity  and  gave  copious 
comments  on  its  rubrics. 

Urban  VIII.  ( 1634 )  adapted  the  Roman  Missal 
to  the  Vulgate. 

Leo  XIII.  ( 1884)  issued  a  Missal  which  he  called 
typical  of  all  other  editions.  It  contains  the  fol- 
lowing: the  text  of  the  rubrics  according  to  the 
changes  made  in  1882;  the  Masses  for  the  Uni- 
versal church;  the  votive  Masses  conceded  in  1883; 
the  Diocesan  and  Provincial  Masses  allowed  by 
the  Holy  See  in  their  proper  place;  the  chant  to 
which  all  other  Missals  must  conform;  a  new 
revision  of  the  rubrics  in  harmony  with  recent 
decrees  as  late  as  1897. 

What  are  the  divisions  in  the  Roman  Missal? 
They  are  nine: 

1.  The  order  of  the  Mass. 

2.  Masses  for  the  seasons. 

3.  Special  Masses  for  the  saints. 

4.  General  form  of  Masses  for  saints. 

5.  Votive  Masses  for  mysteries,  saints  and 
various  intentions. 

6.  List  of  prayers  to  be  said  in  the  Mass. 


84  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

7.  Four  Masses  for  the  dead  with  their  divers 
prayers. 

8.  Various  blessings. 

9.  Votive  Masses  to  correspond  with  the  votive 
offices  granted  in  1883,  for  every  day  in  the  week. 

The  Appendix  is  a  collection  of  Masses  allowed 
by  an  Apostolic  Indult  in  a  nation  or  diocese, 
city  or  church. 

Bibliography:  Sacra  Liturgia,  Vander  Stappen,  1902; 
The  Mass,  O'Brien;  Les  Anciennes  Liturgies,  Grancolas 
1699;  Dr.  J.  R.  Gasquet,  Early  History  of  the  Mass,  1904; 
Holy  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  Rev.  Dr.  Nicholas  Gihr,  1903; 
Origines  Liturgicae,  Sir  W.  Palmer,  1845.  De  La  Liturgie, 
Cardinal  Bona,  1854. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

SACRIFICE  IN  GENERAL  AND  THE  SACRIFICES 
OF  THE  OLD  LAW. 

What  is  Sacrifice? 

The  primitive  and  most  necessary  act  of 
religion,  whereby  we  acknowledge  God's  supreme 
dominion  over  us  and  our  total  dependence  on 
Him.  Its  primitiveness  and  necessity  are  demon- 
strated in  Exodus  and  Leviticus  wherein  God  by 
express  command  directed  that  sacrifice  should 
be  offered  to  Him.  Even  if  God  had  not  issued 
these  precise  and  positive  orders,  it  is  conceivable 
that  nature  and  reason  would  have  taught  the 
need  of  sacrifice,  because  God  is  our  Creator  and 
on  Him  we  depend  for  all  we  possess.  Indepen- 
dent of  all  revelation  and  special  divine  guidance, 
it  is  only  on  the  theory  of  a  religious  instinct  or 
intuition  that  we  can  account  for  the  practice  of 
sacrifice  among  all  nations,  however  barbarous 
and  savage,  acknowledging  a  Supreme  Being. 

What  is  the  derivation  of  the  word  Sacrifice? 

The  word  sacrifice,  considering  its  derivation 
(sacrum  facer e)  may  mean  the  doing  of  a 
sacred  thing,  the  performing  of  a  sacred  rite, 
rather  than  the  making  a  thing  sacred  or  conse- 
crating it. 


86  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

What  are  the  leading  notes  of  Sacrifice? 

(a)  Sacrifice  belongs  to  the  class  of  religious 
acts  known  as  cultus,  or  worship,  by  which  man 
seeks  to  draw  near  to  God.  The  rite  of  sacrifice 
by  the  consent  of  antiquity  excelled  all  other 
ordinances  in  its  power  of  approach  to  God. 

(b)  It  is  distinguished  from  other  expressions 
of  religion  by  the  material  oblation  in  which  it 
consists.  It  is  closely  allied  to  prayer.  To  the 
universal  instinct  of  antiquity,  prayer  and  petition 
were  more  efficacious  when  associated  with  a  rite 
which  made  over  to  God,  or  shared  with  Him 
material  things  of  a  kind  which  ministered  to 
human  wants. 

( c )  From  other  acts  in  which  material  things 
are  consecrated  to  God,  sacrifice  is  distinguished 
by  the  circumstance  that  the  sacrifice  is  consumed 
or  changed  in  the  offering. 

( d )  The  effect  of  sacrifice  seems  to  have  been, 
by  pleasing  the  Deity— to  enjoy  communion  with 
Him,  and  thereby  to  be  delivered  from  threatened 
evil  and  possess  the  coveted  good. 

What  is  the  origin  of  Sacrifice? 

There  are  two  theories — one  for  a  divine,  the 
other  for  a  human  origin.  The  human  origin  pre- 
supposes either,  that  the  religion  of  primitive  man 
was  Monotheism,  and  by  intuition  and  reflection 
on  the  world  and  himself,  he  reached  a  knowledge 
of  God  and  His  attributes  and  the  need  of  sacri- 


Sacrifice  in  General  87 

fice,  or  that  his  deities  were  mere  nature-spirits, 
or  ancestral  ghosts,  or  fetishes,  who  needed  some- 
thing which  a  worshipper  could  offer. 

The  philosophers  of  the  old  world  held  as  an 
axiom: 

"Primus  in  orbe  deos  fecit  Timor." 
(Fear  first  made  gods  in  the  world). 

Cleanthes  in  Cicero  ( De  nat.  Deor.  Ill,  5 )  ac- 
counts for  the  universal  belief  in  gods  and  their 
worship,  "because  the  minds  of  men  were  terrified 
by  lightnings,  tempests,  snow,  hail,  devastations, 
pestilence,  earthquakes,  sudden  sinkings  of  the 
earth,  portentous  births,  meteors,  comets"  and 
such  like  phenomena. 

In  the  Patriarchal  period,  when  the  primitive 
sacrifice  began  a  growth  which  culminated  in  the 
complex  rite  of  the  Mosaic  time,  both  in  the  com- 
plaisance with  which  God  accepted  sacrifice  and 
the  appointments  and  injunctions  regulating  it 
issued  by  Jehovah,  there  is  abundant  material  for 
the  divine  origin  of  sacrifice. 

How  many  significations  has  the  word 
Sacrifice? 

Two:  comprehensive  and  limited.  In  its  com- 
prehensive significance  it  includes  all  good  works 
done  with  the  intention  of  honoring  God  and 
uniting  ourselves  to  Him — such  as  faith,  hope, 
charity,  contrition,  prayer,  praise  and  all  the  moral 
virtues. 


88  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

In  its  more  technical  and  strict  sense  it  signifies 
an  external  offering  of  a  visible  and  sensible 
thing  made  by  a  priest  or  lawful  minister,  to 
acknowledge,  by  the  destruction  or  change  of  the 
thing  offered,  the  sovereign  power  of  God  and 
His  supreme  dominion  over  us  and  all  creatures, 
and  our  total  dependence  upon  Him. 

Why  is  Sacrifice  designated  "an  external 
offering  of  a  visible  thing"? 

To  distinguish  it  from  the  interior  and  spiritual 
offering  by  which  we  consecrate  ourselves  to  God, 
and  which  is  sometimes  called  a  sacrifice. 

Why  must  a  real  Sacrifice  be  offered  by  a 
lawful  minister? 

Because  it  is  a  public  act  of  religion  offered  by 
and  for  the  people,  and  as  such,  the  person  offer- 
ing it  should  be  a  public  minister  chosen  or 
ordained  for  that  purpose.  St.  Paul  says:  "Neither 
doth  any  man  take  the  honor  upon  himself,  but 
he  that  is  called  by  God,  as  Aaron  was."  ( Heb. 
V.  4) .  In  the  Old  Law,  Aaron  and  his  descendants 
were  chosen  by  God  to  offer  sacrifice  to  Him. 
In  the  New  Law,  Our  Saviour  selected  the  Apostles 
and  their  successors  for  the  same  office. 

Why  must  the  thing  offered  be  "destroyed" 
or  "changed"? 

Because  thereby  confession  is  made  of  God's 
sovereignty   over  life   and   death   and   over    all 


Sacrifice  in  General  89 

creatures,  which  being  made  from  nothing  by  His 
omnipotent  will  are  entirely  subject  to  His  decrees. 
In  respect  to  the  offerer  of  the  sacrifice  and  those 
whom  he  represents,  his  act  is  a  formal  ac- 
knowledgment of  dependence  on  God  and  resigna- 
tion to  His  will.  A  mystical  instead  of  a  real 
destruction  of  the  thing  offered  will  suffice  for  the 
essential  of  a  sacrifice. 

Is  the  element  of  destruction  or  change 
essential  to  Sacrifice'? 

The  Sacred  Scriptures  seem  to  answer  the  ques- 
tion in  the  affirmative.  The  distinction  between 
gifts  and  sacrifices  is  emphasized,  and  when  God 
announced  the  law  of  sacrifice  He  explicitly  di- 
rected that  the  thing  offered  should,  in  every 
instance,  be  immolated.  When  the  victim  was  an 
animal,  it  was  slain  and  its  blood  poured  out  or 
sprinkled,  while  at  least  part  of  the  flesh  was  con- 
sumed by  fire.  When  a  meal  offering  was  made, 
part  of  it  had,  in  like  manner,  to  be  consumed  by 
fire. 

Is  there  any  dissent  from  this  view  of  destruc- 
tion as  essential  to  Sacrifice? 

Dr.  Paul  Schanz,  in  his  Manual  of  Catholic 
Theology,  suggests  a  theory  of  sacrifice  which 
eliminates  the  element  of  destruction  and  makes 
the  notion  of  mere  offering  the  fundamental  sub- 
stance of  sacrifice,  and  Bishop  Bellord  finds  it  in 
the  feast  following  the  sacrifice. 


90  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

Primarily,  what  impulses  lay  behind  Sacri- 
fices? 

In  the  Gentile  world  the  example  is  rare  of  a 
sacrifice  intended  as  a  vicarious  offering  for  the 
life  of  a  sinner.  The  impulse  generally  was  one 
of  imperfect  recognition  of  a  Deity,  and  of  expia- 
tion. In  the  ante-Mosaic  period  the  sacrifices  of 
Cain,  Abel  and  Noah  seem  to  be  more  honorific 
of  God  than  expiatory  for  sin,  whilst  the  Mosaic 
sacrifices  have  a  more  predominant  note  of  expia- 
tion than  any  explicit  confession  of  dependence 
on  God. 

By  implication  these  Levitical  sacrifices  ac- 
knowledged the  unity  and  sovereignty  of  God, 
and  prophets  and  psalmists  used  phrases  which 
clearly  intimate  that  some  sacrifices  were  intended 
to  glorify  Him. 

What  is  the  significancy  of  the  shedding  of 
Blood  in  Sacrifice? 

"For  the  life  of  the  flesh  is  in  the  blood,  and  I 
have  given  it  to  you  upon  the  altar  to  make 
atonement;  for  it  is  the  blood  that  maketh  the 
atonement  by  reason  of  the  life."  ( Lev.  XVII,  11 ) . 
God  accepted  the  life  of  the  animal  in  lieu  of  the 
life  of  the  transgressor — a  foreshadowing  of  His 
acceptance  of  the  life  of  His  Divine  Son  for  the 
eternal  ransom  of  His  creatures.  Because  He  is 
the  giver  of  life  and  death,  and  as  the  life  of  the 
flesh  is  in  the  blood,  and  the  life  dies  with  the 


Sacrifice  in  General  91 

drawing  of  blood,  the  most  complete  recognition 
of  God,  the  Creator,  is  possible  only  in  a  sacrifice 
which  consumes  the  victim's  life  by  the  shedding 
of  its  blood.  "And  almost  all  things  are  by  the 
law  purged  with  blood,  and  without  shedding  of 
blood  is  no  remission."     (Heb.  IX,  22). 

What  are   the  ends  for  which  Sacrifice  is 
made? 
Four: 

(1)  To  honor  God  in  His  holiness,  His  sovereignty 
and  all  His  perfections.  The  holocausts  in  which 
the  entire  victim  was  consumed  by  fire  best  ex- 
pressed this  intention  under  the  Mosaic  Law. 

(2)  Sacrifice  is  offered  to  God  in  thanksgiving, 
to  render  Him  gratitude  and  homage  for  His  gifts. 
The  sacrifices  called  peace  offerings  in  the  Old  Law 
were  for  this  end. 

(3)  It  is  also  offered  as  an  atonement  to  the 
justice  of  God  for  our  sins  and  to  move  Him  to 
be  propitious  to  us.  Such  was  the  purpose  of  the 
ancient  sacrifice  called  pro  peccato  ( for  sin ) . 

(4)  Sacrifice  is  offered  to  obtain  graces  and 
favors  from  the  liberality  of  God,  both  for  the 
needs  of  daily  life  and  special  emergencies.  Whilst 
this  form  of  sacrifice  turns  on  self-interest,  it  also 
pays  homage  to  God  as  the  source  and  cause  of  all 
good,  and  by  acknowledgment  of  our  dependence 
on  Him.  This  form  of  sacrifice  was  called  impe- 
tratory,  or  the  sacrifice  of  entreaty  or  petition. 


92  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

How  many  kinds  of  Sacrifices  were  there  in 
the  Old  Law? 

Four:  The  Holocaust;  the  Eucharistic;  the 
Propitiatory  and  the  Impetratory  sacrifices. 

What  is  the  meaning  of  Holocaust? 

Holocaust  (holos,  whole,  kaustos,  burnt)  or 
whole-burnt  offering  was  so  called  because  the 
victim  was  wholly  consumed  by  fire. 

What  was  the  end  of  a  Holocaust  Sacrifice? 

To  do  homage  to  the  supreme  dominion  of  God 
over  creatures,  by  which  He  can  totally  change  or 
destroy  them  whenever  He  pleases,  and  with  the 
same  ease  with  which  He  created  them.  This 
protestation  to  God  was  best  reflected  in  the  total 
destruction  of  the  victim. 

Why  was  fire  used  as  an  instrument  in  the 
Holocaust? 

(1)  It  consumed  all  that  was  superfluous  and 
imperfect. 

(2 )  The  ascending  smoke  betokened  God's  pleas- 
ure and  acceptance. 

(3)  The  light  and  glory  of  fire  is  a  figure  of  the 
risen  Christ,  our  Pasch. 

(4)  God's  oft-used  symbol  was  fire.  Moses  saw 
Him  in  a  burning  bush.  He  led  Israel  through 
the  desert-journey  by  a  pillar  of  fire;  the  Com- 
mandments were  given  out  of  fire  and  smoke; 
the  people  heard  that  the  God  they  worshipped 


Sacrifice  in  General  93 

was  a  consuming  fire.  As  in  the  sacrifice  the 
victim  took  the  place  of  the  man,  the  sinner,  so 
fire  took  the  place  of  God  and  represented  Him. 
When  the  fire  consumed  the  victims,  it  seemed  as . 
if  God  whom  it  represented,  united  them  to  Him- 
self and  participated  in  the  sacrifices.  It  was  the 
highest  reach  of  a  creature's  worship  in  those 
olden  days.  He  could  not  give  his  victims  to  God 
to  be  transmuted  into  Him,  but  he  could  surrender 
them  to  fire,  thereby  changing  them  into  that 
which  represented  God  most  perfectly,  as  being 
the  purest  and  noblest  of  the  elements. 

How  were  the  other  Sacrifices  performed? 

In  the  Eucharistic  or  Thanksgiving  offering, 
and  also  in  the  Sin  and  Peace  offering,  the  victims 
were  not  wholly  consumed,  but  parts  of  them 
were  reserved  as  a  spiritual  banquet  for  the  priests 
and  people. 

The  victims  in  these  sacrifices  were  living 
creatures,  such  as  sheep,  lambs,  oxen,  pigeons  and 
other  animals.  When  these  were  offered  the 
sacrifices  were  called  bloody,  because  the  victims 
were  slain  and  sometimes  entirely  burned  upon 
the  altar. 

There  were  also  offered  things  without  life, 
such  as  fine  flour,  oil,  frankincense,  unleavened 
cakes,  wafers  and  the  like.  These  were  either 
burned  or  destroyed  upon  the  altar. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE   MASS   THE  SACRIFICE   OF   THE   NEW   LAW. 

What  was  the  character  of  these  Sacrifices 
of  the  Old  Law  as  to  their  permanency? 

All  the  sacrifices  of  the  Old  Law,  together  with 
the  priesthood  of  Aaron,  ordained  of  God  for 
offering  them,  were  only  types  and  figures  of  the 
more  perfect  sacrifice  and  priesthood  of  the  New 
Law  and  were  therefore  only  temporary  and  pro- 
visional. 

Who  is  the  author  of  this  Sacrifice  and 
priesthood  of  the  New  Law? 

Jesus  Christ,  the  promised  Messiah,  "according 
to  the  order  of  Melchisedech."  "The  Lord  hath 
sworn  and  will  not  repent;  thou  art  a  priest 
forever  according  to  the  order  of  Melchisedech." 
(Psalm  109.) 

Why  is  the  exemplar  of  Christ's  priesthood 
that  oj  Melchisedech? 

Because  the  ministry  of  Melchisedech  was  to 
offer  up  bread  and  wine  in  sacrifice,  and  Christ 
continues  a  priest  and  victim  forever,  making 
oblation  of  Himself  in  the  sacrosanct  sacrifice  of 
the  Mass  under  the  same  elements. 


The  Sacrifice  of  the  New  Law        95 

What  is  the  Sacrifice  of  the  New  Law? 
The  Mass. 

What  is  the  Mass? 

The  sacrifice  of  the  Body  and  Blood  of  Christ, 
really  present  under  the  appearance  of  bread  and 
wine,  offered  to  God  by  the  priest  for  the  living 
and  dead. 

What  is  of  Faith  regarding  the  Mass  as 
defined  by  the  Council  of  Trent? 

( 1 )  That  it  is  a  sacrifice  in  the  true  and  proper 
sense  of  the  word. 

( 2 )  That  it  is  essentially  the  same  as  the  sacrifice 
of  the  Cross,  the  only  difference  being  in  the 
manner  of  its  offering.— (Session  22,  Chap.  II). 

The  same  Council  ( Session  22,  Chap.  I )  makes 
this  fuller  comment: 

"Jesus  Christ,  our  God  and  Lord,  though  He 
was  once  to  offer  Himself  to  God  the  Father  by 
death  on  the  altar  of  the  Cross,  there  to  work  out 
our  eternal  redemption,  nevertheless,  because  His 
priesthood  was  not  to  be  extinguished  by  His 
death,  at  the  Last  Supper,  on  the  night  of  His 
betrayal,  by  way  of  leaving  to  His  beloved  Spouse 
the  Church  a  sacrifice  visible,  as  human  nature 
requires— a  sacrifice  that  might  be  a  representa- 
tion and  re-enactment  of  the  sacrifice  that  was 
once  to  be  accomplished  in  blood  upon  the  Cross, 
whereby  the  memory  of  it  might  endure  to  the 


96  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

end  of  the  world,  and  the  salutary  effect  of  it 
might  be  applied  to  the  remission  of  the  sins  that 
are  daily  committed  by  us— showing  Himself  forth 
a  priest  appointed  forever  according  to  the  order 
of  Melchisedech,  offered  His  Body  and  Blood  to 
God  the  Father  under  the  appearances  of  bread 
and  wine,  and  under  the  symbols  of  the  same 
things  gave  them  to  His  Apostles  to  receive, 
appointing  them  at  the  same  time  priests  of  the 
New  Covenant  and  commanding  them  and  their 
successors  in  the  priesthood  to  offer  the  same, 
which  command  He  gave  in  these  words:  'Do 
this  in  commemoration  of  Me,'  as  the  Catholic 
Church  has  ever  understood  and  taught." 

What  is  the  identity  between  the  Sacrifice  of 
Calvary  and  of  the  Mass? 

The  most  complete  identity  in  all  save  the 
manner  of  its  offering. 

The  Victim  and  High-priest  are  the  same  in 
both.  The  victim  of  the  Cross  was  Christ.  The 
victim  of  the  Mass  is  the  same.  Christ  offered 
Himself  on  Calvary.  He  also  offers  Himself  in 
the  Mass.  On  the  Cross,  however,  Christ  offered 
Himself  in  a  bloody  manner  and  actually  died, 
His  Blood  being  really  spilt,  whilst  in  the  Mass  He 
makes  an  unbloody  oblation  of  Himself  and  dies 
only  mystically,  which  signifies  that  death  does 
not  really  ensue,  but  is  represented  in  the  separate 
Consecration   of   the   bread   and    wine   and  this 


The  Sacrifice  of  the  New  Law        97 

separate  Consecration  is  a  reflex  of  the  separation 
of  the  Sacred  Body  and  Blood  of  Christ,  and  by 
consequence  His  death. 

At  the  Last  Supper,  on  Calvary,  and  on  our 
altars,  victim  and  priest  are  the  self -same  and  the 
sacrifice  is  the  same.  They  are  not  three  but  one 
sacrifice.  "Oblatus  est  quia  voluit."  He  was  a 
victim  by  His  own  will.  By  a  self-willed  surrender 
Christ  laid  Himself  on  the  altar  to  be  slain.  The 
victim  bound  Himself  and  was  ready.  By  a  self- 
dedication  He  was  doomed  to  death.  The  next 
day  the  sacrifice  was  completed  by  His  actual  slay- 
ing. In  the  Last  Supper  we  have  the  ceremonial 
offering  and  consecration  of  the  Victim  before  the 
immolation;  on  Calvary,  the  actual  sacrifice,  im- 
molation. In  the  Mass  we  have  the  Sacred  Body 
and  Blood  of  the  same  Victim  ceremoniously 
offered  up — the  Blood  that  was  shed  on  the  Cross, 
the  Body  that  was  broken  in  the  Passion.  In  the 
order  of  time,  the  Victim  of  Calvary  stood  mid- 
way between  the  Victim  of  the  Last  Supper  and 
the  Victim  of  the  Mass.  That  is,  the  real  im- 
molation intervened  between  the  two  mystic  im- 
molations. And  yet,  without  the  sacrifice  of 
Calvary,  neither  the  Last  Supper  nor  the  Mass 
could  be  more  than  the  figment  of  a  sacrifice. 
The  real  made  the  mystic  sacrifice  possible.  And 
thus  the  Mass  is  the  commemoration,  the  myster- 
ious and  bloodless  representation,  and  the  cere- 
monious offering  of  the  sacrifice  of   the  Cross, 


98  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

whilst  its  liturgical  language,  vestments,  altar, 
crucifix  and  structure  bespeak  the  Death  on  the 
Cross,  of  which  it  is  the  symbolic  commemoration 
and  representation. 

Does  it  differ  in  any  particular  with  the 
Sacrifice  of  the  Cross? 

Besides  the  difference  in  the  mode  of  its  offer- 
ing, it  is  also  numerically  different.  Christ  is 
offered  under  sacramental,  not  His  own  species, 
and  the  Mass  only  applies  the  graces  which  the 
Sacrifice  on  the  Cross  originated. 

How  is  Christ's  death  represented  by  the 
separate  Consecration  of  the  Bread  and  Wine? 

Because  our  faith  teaches  us  that  the  Holy 
Eucharist  contains  truly  and  substantially  the 
sacred  Body  and  Blood  of  Christ  under  the  appear- 
ance of  either  bread  or  wine.  The  bread  does 
not  differ  from  the  wine  in  the  matter  of  its  con- 
tent, as  under  each  separate  species  are  contained 
whole  and  entire  the  Body  and  Blood  of  Christ. 
They  do,  however,  differ  in  their  external  appear- 
ance, and  by  the  practice  of  the  Church  the  bread 
has  always  been  identified  with  the  Body  of 
Christ  and  the  wine  with  His  Blood.  Both  being 
separately  consecrated,  the  bread  first  and  then 
the  wine,  and  lying  apart,  are  mysteriously 
and  as  if  emblematically  representative  of  the  real 
partition  of  Christ's  Blood  from  His  Body  when 


The  Sacrifice  of  the  New  Law        99 

He  actually  died  on  the  Cross.  Thereby  our  holy 
Victim  is  offered  to  God  not  as  actually  dead,  but 
mystically  or  under  the  appearance  of  death. 

No  theory  here  is  satisfactory  that  does  not 
include  the  Consecration  under  both  kinds,  or  that 
excludes  the  Consecration  of  the  chalice  as  super- 
fluous or  non-essential.  Christ  died  on  the  Cross 
by  the  separation  of  His  Body  from  His  Blood. 
That  separation  is  emphasized  and  represented  by 
the  separate  Consecration  of  the  bread  into  the 
Body  of  Christ  and  the  wine  into  His  Blood.  A 
necessary  item  for  the  right  understanding  of  this 
theory  is  to  observe  what  is  present  under  either 
species  "by  virtue  of  the  words"  of  Consecration, 
and  what  "by  concomitance,"  according  to  the 
theologians. 

On  the  principle  that  "the  sacraments  effect 
what  they  signify"  there  is  present  in  the  Host 
by  the  words  of  Consecration  the  Body  of  Christ 
and  no  more;  and  in  the  chalice  by  the  formula 
of  Consecration  the  Blood  and  no  more.  But  since 
the  Body  of  Christ  does  not  exist  except  in  union 
with  the  rest  of  His  sacred  Humanity,  wherever 
the  Body  is,  there  is  the  whole  Christ.  Thus  the 
Body  is  under  the  species  of  bread  in  the  Host  by 
force  of  the  words;  the  Blood  of  Christ,  His  soul 
and  His  divinity  by  concomitance.  And  similarly 
of  the  chalice.  But,  in  regard  of  what  is  present 
by  force  of  the  words  apart  from  concomitance, 
the  first  Consecration  places  separately  the  Body 


100  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

of  Christ,  the  second  Consecration  His  Blood. 
This  is  called  by  theologians  a  "mystical"  or  sym- 
bolical separation,  and  consequently  a  mystical  or 
symbolical  slaying  of  Christ.  Thus  in  the  double 
Consecration,  the  death  of  the  Lord  is  shown 
forth,  although  he  does  not  actually  die. 

Father  Gabriel  Vasquez,  S.  J.  (1551-1604) 
seconded  by  Father  John  Perrone,  S.  J.  ( 1794- 
1867 )  thus  presents  the  matter: 

"Since  by  force  of  the  words  only  the  Body  of 
Christ  is  put  under  the  species  of  bread,  and  only 
His  Blood  under  the  species  of  wine— although 
under  either  species  the  whole  Christ  is  present 
by  concomitance— the  Consecration  of  the  two 
separate  species  thus  performed  constitutes  a 
representation  of  that  separation  of  the  Body  from 
the  Blood  which  makes  death;  and  this  represen- 
tation is  called  a  mystical  separation.  And  the 
death  itself  is  represented;  therefore  it  is  called  a 
mystical  slaying.  Before  the  Consecration  of  the 
wine  the  Body  of  Christ  is  not  represented  as  dead 
and  immolated."  (Vasquez,  disp.  223,  nn.  37, 
45). 

Very  significant  as  bearing  on  this  point  are 
the  words  of  Cardinal  Vaughan  in  his  pastoral 
for  1895: 

"It  is  to  be  noted  that  after  the  Consecration 
the  priest  addresses  not  one  word  to  our  Lord  as 
there,  but  addresses  only  God,  as  God  in  Heaven. 
But   at   the    Agnus  Dei   we  begin  to  pray  to 


The  Sacrifice  of  the  New  Law      101 

Jesus  Christ.  This  is  said  to  be,  because  our  Lord 
is  treated  after  the  Consecration  as  a  victim  slain 
and  a  victim  is  offered  up,  not  spoken  to.  The 
placing  of  the  particle  of  the  Sacred  Host  in  the 
chalice  (immediately  before  the  Agnus  Dei)  is 
thought  to  represent  the  reunion  of  the  Body  and 
Blood  of  our  Lord  in  the  Resurrection." 

7s  the  Mass  only  a  representative  Sacrifice? 

It  is  also  a  real  sacrifice.  The  representative 
feature  of  it  is  the  clew  to  its  essence.  It  would 
be  a  repetition  of  the  Reformers'  error  to  say  that 
its  essence  is  merely  to  represent  or  commemorate. 
The  essence  is  to  be  sought  in  the  representation 
of  the  real  death  of  Christ  on  the  Cross,  which  the 
Council  of  Trent  declares  must  be  visible  to  the 
Church.  This  visible  replica  lies  in  the  Consecra- 
tion of  the  Bread  and  Cup  by  separate  acts  of 
Consecration  which,  therefore,  under  their  distinct 
and  individual  species  represent  the  physical  blood- 
shedding  of  Calvary,  and  constitute  the  Mass- 
essence.  In  recalling  these  facts  we  must  avoid 
the  error  of  declaring  that  Christ  is  only  figura- 
tively and  not  really  sacrificed.  The  sacramental 
presence  is  a  real  presence,  and  any  change  that 
affects  that  presence  is  a  real  and  not  merely 
a  symbolic  condition  reacting  upon  our  Lord  under 
the  species. 

It  is  true  that  in  the  Mass,  Christ  is  not  really 
slain,  only  mystically  and  symbolically;  therefore  it 
would  appear  the  Mass  is  not  a  real  but  only  a 


102  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

mystical  and  symbolical  sacrifice,  which  is  no  "true 
and  proper  sacrifice." 

To  this  it  may  be  replied,  that  as  a  sacrifice  is 
essentially  a  sign  to  God  symbolizing  His  dominion 
and  our  sinfulness,  such  a  sign  may  be  offered 
sufficiently  by  a  slaying  which  is  symbolic  only  in 
a  case  where  the  fitness  of  things  militates  against 
the  actual  death  of  the  victim;  this  is  illustrated 
by  Abraham's  sacrifice  of  Isaac  ( Gen.  XXII-10-15 ) . 

Although  Isaac  was  not  actually  slain,  the  sacri- 
fice was  completed  by  the  real  slaying  of  the 
ram  substituted  for  him.  But  there  can  be  no 
substitute  for  Christ  as  Victim  of  our  Redemption. 

Here  Vasquez  introduces  an  explanation  which 
is  tenable,  though  in  all  candor  it  is  fair  to  admit 
it  is  vehemently  opposed  by  other  theologians. 
He  insists  that  the  Mass  is  a  symbol  of  a  slaying 
that  has  actually  taken  place,  the  symbolic  rite 
being  performed  upon  the  very  person  of  the 
victim  there  present,  and  admits  that  if  Christ 
had  never  been  actually  slain  the  objection  rel- 
ative to  the  unreality  of  the  sacrifice  would  have 
some  weight.  He  concedes  that  the  mere  mysti- 
cal slaying  of  Christ  by  the  separate  Consecration 
of  His  Body  and  Blood  would  not  be  adequate  for 
a  true  and  proper  sacrifice,  except  in  so  far  as  it 
represents  and  reenacts  in  symbol  the  actual  shed- 
ding of  the  Blood  of  Jesus  Christ  on  the  altar  of 
the  Cross. 


The  Sacrifice  of  the  New  Law      103 

Thus  the  Mass  is  a  sacrifice  through^the  Crucifix- 
ion and  by  representing  the  Crucifixion  before  God. 

Here  are  the  words  of  Vasquez: 

"It  is  essential  to  a  sacrifice,  commemorative, 
without  actual  shedding  of  blood,  that  it  should 
represent  a  sacrifice  where  there  were  actual  shed- 
ding of  blood  and  death  of  the  victim.  Wherefore 
if  Christ  had  not  died,  this  Sacrament  would  not 
be  a  Sacrifice."     ( Disp.  223.  n.  47 ) . 

Whilst  it  is  true  that  theologians  of  high  rank, 
like  De  Lugo  and  Franzelin,  reject  this  solution 
as  insufficient,  the  definition  of  Trent,  J"the  same 
Victim  and  the  same  Offerer,  only  the  manner  of 
offering  being  different,"  and  St.  Thomas  Aquinas' 
comment,  "The  celebration  of  this  Sacrament  is  a 
representative  image  of  the  Passion  of  Christ, 
which  Passion  is  a  true  immolation  of  Him,  and 
therefore  the  representation  made  in  this  Sacra- 
ment is  called  an  immolation  of  Christ,"  (Summa, 
p.  3.  q.  83,  art.  1)  constitute  very  formidable  side- 
lights focused  on  the  acceptableness  of  Vasquez' 
opinion. 

His  opponents  said:  "A  commemoration  is  not 
the  thing  commemorated:  the  commemoration  of 
a  victory  is  not  a  victory,  nor  is  the  commemora- 
tion of  a  sacrifice  a  sacrifice.  The  Council  of 
Trent  formally  condemns  as  heretical  the 
opinion  that  the  Mass  is  but  a  'bare  commem- 
oration of  the  sacrifice  of  the  Cross'  and  this 
opinion  seems  to  fall  within  that  condemnation." 


104  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

Although  it  is  true  that  the  commemoration  of 
an  event  is  not  the  event  itself,  and  the  Mass  is 
not  the  Crucifixion,  yet  the  reenactment  of  a  sign 
may  well  be  itself  a  sign,  and  a  sacrifice  is  essen- 
tially a  sign  to  God  of  recognition  of  His  domin- 
ion, whilst  a  victory  is  not  in  the  same  category 
with  sacrifice  for  the  reason  that  a  victory  is  not 
essentially  a  sign. 

Furthermore,  the  Mass,  notwithstanding  some 
varieties  of  theological  opinion  can  never  be  only 
a  "bare  commemoration"  to  any  one  accepting 
the  Real  Presence.  The  Reformers  of  the  six- 
teenth century  and  their  children  placed  bread 
and  wine  on  the  altar,  and  any  rite  practiced  on 
these  elements  is  fittingly  described  as  a  ''bare 
commemoration"  which  fell  within  the  anathema 
of  Trent. 

But  the  Catholic  rite,  being  a  commemoration  of 
the  sacrifice  of  Calvary,  is  performed  upon  the 
very  Body  which  was  pierced  and  broken  there 
and  the  Blood  which  flowed  there.  The  Victim 
offered  planned  it  and  designed  and  commanded 
it,  and  the  living,  present  Christ  is  offered  in  it. 

The  right  phraseology  is  essential  here.  "A 
repetition  of  the  sacrifice  of  Christ"  is  not  the  cor- 
rect way  to  describe  the  Mass.  It  is  a  re-presen- 
tation and  a  "re-enactment"  and  a  "reflection"  of 
the  sacrifice  of  the  Cross  and  a  mystic  representa- 
tion of  the  blood-shedding  of  Christ. 

The  sacrifice  of  Calvary  was  offered  once  for 


The  Sacrifice  of  the  New  Law      105 

all.  There  is  no  need  of  repeating  it.  All  the 
Masses  said  throughout  all  the  world  shine  like 
moons  and  planets  about  the  central  sun  of  the 
sacrifice  of  the  Cross  from  which  they  derive  their 
light  and  sacrificial  power.  We  are  not  in  the 
habit  of  calling  these  heavenly  bodies  repetitions  of 
the  sun. 

Christ  Crucified,  Christ  in  Heaven,  Christ  in  the 
Mass  are  the  three  phases  of  the  eternal  priest- 
hood of  our  Blessed  Lord.  The  Crucifixion  is 
consummated  forever  and  abides  in  everlasting 
efficacy.  In  Heaven,  He  makes  intercession  for 
us.  In  the  Mass,  He  comes  silently  and  humbly 
"a  lamb  standing  as  slain."  In  all  these  condi- 
tions it  is  the  same  God  and  Man  who  survives 
and  helps  eternally.  That  belief  saves  the  Mass 
from  the  emptiness  and  inanity  of  a  "bare  com- 
memoration." 

Who  is  the  High  Priest  in  the  Sacrifice  of  the 
Mass? 

Christ,  Our  Lord,  is  the  invisible  High-Priest 
and  principal  sacrificant.  He,  however,  ordains  to 
be  offered  up  by  His  priests,  for  priests  alone 
have  the  power  of  offering  this  Holy  Sacrifice. 
At  His  Last  Supper,  Christ  gave  them  this  ineffa- 
ble power  when  He  said  to  his  Apostles,  and,  in 
them  to  His  future  priests:  ''Do  this  in  com- 
memoration of  Me"— follow  His  example  in  the 
sacrifice  He  had  just  completed.    This  office  consti- 


106  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

tutes  the  priest  the  visible  representative  of  Christ, 
ordained  and  commissioned  by  Him  to  perform  in 
His  name  and  authority- -and  as  representing 
Him  in  all  the  exterior  part  of  this  Holy  Sacrifice. 

At  what  time  in  the  Mass  are  the  Bread 
and  Wine  changed  into  the  Body  and  Blood  oj 
Christ? 

At  the  Consecration  in  the  Canon  of  the  Mass. 
Plain,  unleavened  bread  made  from  wheaten  flour 
and  water,  round  in  form,  and  ordinary  wine  of  the 
grape  are  the  provision  made.  At  the  Offertory,  this 
host  or  plain  bread  is  offered  to  God;  then  the 
wine  is  poured  into  a  chalice,  mixed  with  a  little 
water.  It  is  yet  bread  and  wine.  Midway  in  the 
Mass  is  the  Consecration,  and  when  the  priest  pro- 
nounces over  the  bread  and  wine  Christ's  words 
at  the  Last  Supper:  "This  is  my  Body;"  "This 
is  my  Blood"— the  bread  and  wine  are  changed 
into  the  Body  and  Blood  of  Christ— a  conversion 
expressed  by  the  term  transubstantiation — or 
the  change  of  the  substance  of  the  bread  and 
wine  into  the  substance  of  the  Body  and  Blood  of 
Christ— all  the  outward,  sensible  qualities  of  the 
bread  and  wine  remaining  the  same  as  before 
Consecration. 

By  whom  is  this  change  effected? 

By  the  priest  who  offers  the  Mass,  but  in  virtue 
of  the  power  and  words  of  Christ,  whom  he 
represents  at  the  moment  of  Consecration.     The 


The  Sacrifice  of  the  New  Law      107 

grant  of  this  power  is  embodied  in  Christ's  com- 
mand: "Do  this  in  commemoration  of  Me."  Not 
of  his  own  power  then  does  the  priest  perform  this 
miracle.  It  is  by  the  power  of  God,  expressed  by 
a  formula — the  formula  of  the  Last  Supper,  and 
communicated  to  the  priest  at  his  ordination. 

What  are  the  ends  for  which  Mass  is  said? 

(1)  To  give  God  honor  and  glory. 

(2)  To  thank  Him  for  His  benefits. 

(3)  To  obtain  the  remission  of  oui  sins  and, 

(4)  All  other  graces  and  blessings  through  Jesus 
Christ.  In  this  quadruple  purpose  it  agrees  with 
the  four  varieties  of  sacrifice  in  the  Old  Law. 

God  is  honored  and  glorified  for  His  great  power 
and  majesty  and  because  of  His  supreme  dominion 
over  us.  Whilst  nominally  our  thanks  are  humili- 
atingly  feeble,  in  the  Mass  they  are  adequate  be- 
cause spoken  for  us  by  our  Redeemer.  Through 
the  Mass  we  beseech  the  remission  of  our  sins  and 
of  the  punishment  due  to  them,  and  the  Mass 
being  a  propitiatory  sacrifice,  like  unto  that  of  the 
Cross,  inclines  the  Almighty  to  have  mercy  on  us 
and  heed  the  pleadings  of  His  own  Divine  Son. 
Though  of  ourselves  we  are  undeserving  of  any 
favor,  yet  because  the  Mass  is  a  sacrifice  of  7m- 
petration  and  because  Christ  offers  Himself  with 
us  and  for  us  to  obtain  what  we  need  and  what  is 
best  for  us,  we  have  in  it  a  most  capable  advocate 
to  make  our  petitions  operative. 


108  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

To  whom  is  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass  offered? 

To  God  alone.  The  common  and  accepted  state- 
ment of  a  Mass  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  or  St. 
Joseph,  or  St.  Peter  means  only  that  a  Mass  is 
offered  to  God  in  honor  of  these  saints  to  thank 
Him  for  the  graces  bestowed  on  them  in  life  and 
the  glory  they  now  enjoy  in  Heaven. 

For  whom  can  a  Mass  be  offered? 

For  the  whole  body  of  the  Church,  triumphant, 
militant  and  suffering.  Mass  is  offered  for  the 
saints  in  Heaven  in  thanksgiving  to  God  for  their 
salvation;  for  the  living  on  earth— both  just  and 
sinners — heretics  and  schismatics— -infidels  and 
Jews;  for  the  souls  in  Purgatory  for  a  prompt 
release  from  their  sufferings. 

For  what  other  end  is  Mass  offered? 

In  the  Mass,  Christ  continues,  perpetuates  and 
represents  on  our  altars  the  sacrifice  which  He 
•once  offered  on  Calvary.  The  Mass  is  a  continua- 
tion of  the  sacrifice  of  the  Cross  because  Victim 
and  High-Priest  in  both  cases  are  the  same. 

What  are  the  memorable  qualities  oj  the 
Mass? 

It  is  the  most  sublime  and  august  mystery  of 
the  Christian  religion,  the  most  ancient  and  con- 
tinuous religious  rite  known  to  men,  and  the  most 
divine  action  falling  within  the  performance  of 
man,  for  the  victim  and  principal  sacrificer  are 


The  Sacrifice  of  the  New  Law      109 

God,  and  the  joint  co-operation  of  the  divine  and 
human  in  it— of  the  divine  and  human  priesthood, 
is  productive  of  infinite  honor  to  God,  of  exalted 
joy  to  the  angels  and  saints,  of  unsuspected  bless- 
ings for  creatures  and  of  comfort  and  refreshment 
for  the  souls  of  the  faithful  departed. 

Is  the  Mass  a  real  and  true  Sacrifice? 

It  is,  because: 

(1)  It  is  an  offering  of  some  sensible  thing, 
viz.:  the  Body  and  Blood  of  Christ  under  the  visi- 
ble appearance  of  bread  and  wine. 

(2)  It  is  offered  to  God;  for  God  alone  is  the 
terminus  of  the  Mass. 

(3)  It  is  made  through  the  ministry  of  a  lawful 
priest.  Priests  alone  are  the  ministers  of  this 
sacrifice. 

(4)  The  destruction,  or  change  of  the  thing 
offered  is  effected— on  the  Cross,  a  real  destruction 
by  the  shedding  of  Christ's  Blood  and  His  actual 
death;  on  the  altar,  a  bloodless  and  mystical  death, 
as  expressed  in  the  individual  Consecration  of  the 
two  different  species  of  bread  and  wine. 

Wherein  do  Theologians  place  the  essence  of 
the  Mass? 

Vasquez  (1604)  derived  its  essence  from  its 
figurative  quality  only.  The  sacred  Body  and 
Blood  repose  on  the  altar  by  the  Consecration  and 
they  typify  the  Lord's  bloody  Sacrifice. 


110  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

De  Lugo  (1643 )  thus  writes:  "Although  in  the 
Consecration  the  Body  of  Christ  is  not  destroyed 
substantially,  yet  it  is  destroyed  to  human  estima- 
tion because  it  receives  a  lower  condition,  a  condi- 
tion which  prevents  it  from  performing  bodily 
functions  and  converts  it  into  food.  This  change 
suffices  for  a  real  sacrifice." 

Franzelin  adopts  this  view  and  thus  expresses 
it:  "Christ  by  the  ministry  of  the  priest  places 
His  Body  and  Blood  under  the  species  of  bread  and 
wine,  thus  as  it  were  humbling  His  most  sacred 
Humanity  from  its  natural  functions  and  manner 
of  existence  to  the  state  of  food." 

If  this  latter  view,  without  straining,  may  be 
interpreted  as  upholding  the  theory  that  the  Mass 
is  complete  by  the  Consecration  of  the  bread  alone, 
or  the  wine  alone,  which  seems  questionable  as 
pertaining  to  such  exalted  authority,  then  there 
is  flaw  in  it,  as  such  an  opinion  is  at  variance  with 
tradition  and  the  practice  of  the  Church. 

What  are  the  moot  points  among  Catholic 
Theologians? 

Two: 

(a)  In  what  consists  precisely  the  sacrificial  rite 
of  the  Mass? 

(b)  How  precisely  the  Mass  shows  forth  the 
death  of  Christ. 

In  what  do  nearly  all  the  Theologians  now 
agree? 


The  Sacrifice  of  the  New  Law      111 

(1)  The  sacrificial  rite  of  the  Mass  consists  pre- 
cisely in  the  Consecration. 

(2)  Precisely  in  the  Consecration  does  the  Mass 
show  forth  the  death  of  Christ. 

7s  it  demonstrable  that  the  Mass  is  a  Sacri- 
fice of  the  New  Law? 

The  Old  and  New  Testament,  the  Liturgies  and 
Tradition  supply  the  proof  that  the  Mass  is  the 
sacrifice  of  the  New  Law. 

What  is  the  proof  from,  the  Old  Testament? 

The  Prophet  Malachi  says:  "I  have  no  pleasure 
in  you,  said  the  Lord  of  hosts,  and  I  will  not  re- 
ceive a  gift  from  your  hand.  For  from  the  rising 
of  the  sun  even  to  the  going  down  of  the  same 
my  name  is  great  among  the  Gentiles,  and  in  every 
place  there  is  sacrifice  and  there  is  offered  to  my 
name  a  clean  oblation;  for  my  name  is  great 
among  the  Gentiles,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts." 
(Mali.  10.  11). 

This  text  predicts  three  results: 

(1)  God  will  refuse  to  receive  a  gift  from  the 
Jews,  which  is  synonomous  with  His  refusal  to 
accept  their  sacrifices,  because  "sacrifice"  among 
the  Gentiles  is  contrasted  with  "gift"  among  His 
chosen  people,  now  on  the  eve  of  being  repudiated 
and  discredited. 

(2)  That  this  clean  and  perfect  oblation  or  sac- 
rifice would  be  substituted  for  the  sacrifices  of 
the  Old  Law. 


112  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

(3)  "And  in  every  place  there  is  sacrifice,"  for 
this  new  sacrifice  will  not  only  supplant  the. 
Synagogue  where  it  exists,  but  also  be  offered 
among  the  Gentiles  where  it  exists  not. 

Why  is  it  concluded  that  the  Mass  was  in  the 
Prophet's  mind  when  uttering  this  Prophecy? 

Because  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass  best  conforms 
to  these  predictions. 

How  is  the  Prophecy  interpreted  by  the 
enemies  of  the  Mass? 

As  if  the  Prophet  meant  the  sacrifice  of  the 
Cross,  or  good  works. 

Will  it  justify  this  interpretation? 

No,  because  the  sacrifice  of  the  Cross  was 
offered  once,  and  only  in  one  place,  whilst  this 
sacrifice  among  the  Gentiles  is  offered  in  every 
place,  and  from  the  rising  to  the  setting  of  the 
sun.  Neither  can  it  be  strained  to  mean  the  re- 
jection, not  of  Jewish  gifts,  but  of  Jewish  good 
works,  as  if  He  preferred  the  Gentile  allegiance, 
for  the  reason  that  God  never  rejects  the  good 
works  of  any  of  His  creatures. 

What  other  vroof  is  supplied  by  the  Old 
Testament? 

"The  Lord  hath  sworn  and  He  will  not  repent; 
thou  art  a  priest  forever  acccrding  t  j  the  order  of 
Melchisedech."  ( Psalm  109. )  St.  Paul  ( Hebrew 
VIII)  comments  on  this  text. 


The  Sacrifice  of  the  New  Law      113 

Melchisedech  offered  sacrifice  in  bread  and 
wine.  Christ  sacrifices  in  the  same  elements  only 
in  the  Mass.  The  Cross  was  the  altar  of  the  sac- 
rifice of  His  Body  and  Blood.  The  offering  of  the 
same  in  the  Mass  under  the  semblance  of  bread 
and  wine  constitutes  Him  "a  priest  forever 
according  to  the  order  of  Melchisedech." 

And  He  was  to  be  a  priest  forever— that  is  visi- 
bly discharge  forever  the  duties  of  a  priest  in  the 
Church.  In  the  Mass  alone,  by  the  ministry  of 
His  priests  who  act  in  His  name  and  in  His  power 
is  this  priesthood  of  Christ  of  the  type  of  Melchis- 
edech perpetuated. 

What  is  the  evidence  of  the  New  Testament 
as  to  the  Sacrificial  character  of  the  Mass? 

At  the  Last  Supper,  in  the  institution  of  the 
Blessed  Eucharist,  Christ  made  offering  of  the 
Holy  Sacrifice  with  His  own  hands.  The  essence 
of  that  sacrifice  reposed  in  the  separate  Con- 
secration of  the  bread  and  wine,  by  which  was 
represented  His  mystical  death.  Christ  said  over 
the  bread:  "This  is  my  Body  which  is  given  for 
you."  (St.  Luke  XXII,  19).  "This  is  my  Body 
which  is  broken  for  you."  (1.  Cor.  XL  XX.  24). 
And  over  the  wine:  "This  is  my  Blood  of  the 
New  Testament  which  is  shed  for  many."  ( St. 
Matthew  XXVI,  28.  St.  Mark  XIV,  24).  St.  Mat- 
thew adds:  "Unto  the  remission  of  sins."  Observe 
the  use   of   the   present    tense,    indicating    His 


114  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

reference  to  an  offering  He  was  at  that  time 
actually  making,  and  not  to  another  offering  He 
intended  to  make  at  a  future  time.  In  His  passion 
and  death  was  the  real  effusion  of  His  Blood.  His 
death  at  the  Last  Supper  was  sacramental  and 
mystical,  and  only  the  appearance  of  death,  by  the 
independent  and  separate  Consecration  of  the 
bread  and  wine  unto  the  remission  of  sins.  Herein 
lies  all  the  substance  of  the  Christian  Mass. 

7s  there  any  other  corroborative  testimony 
from  the  New  Testament? 

St.  Paul  thus  writes:  "The  chalice  of  Bene- 
diction which  we  bless,  is  it  not  the  Communion 
of  the  Blood  of  Christ?  And  the  bread  which  we 
break,  is  it  not  the  partaking  of  the  Body  of  the 
Lord?  Are  not  they  that  eat  of  the  sacrifices 
partakers  of  the  altar?  But  the  things  the 
heathens  sacrifice,  they  sacrifice  to  devils,  and  not 
to  God.  You  cannot  drink  the  chalice  of  the  Lord 
and  the  chalice  of  devils;  you  cannot  be  partakers 
of  the  table  of  the  Lord  and  of  the  table  of 
devils."  (1.  Cor.  X.  16.  21 ) .  Herein  runs  all  the 
phrasing  of  sacrificial  practices,  and  the  evident 
purpose  of  the  Apostle  was  to  set  up  a  contrast 
between  the  sacrifice  of  the  Eucharist,  or  the  Mass, 
and  the  pagan  sacrifices,  a  contrast  which  would 
be  unmeaning  if  the  Eucharist  or  Mass  be  not  a 
veritable  sacrifice. 

Besides,  appearing  fitfully  through  the  Epistles 


The  Sacrifice  of  the  New  Law      115 

of  the  same  Apostle,  and  with  suggestive 
frequency  are  such  expressions  as:  "Table  of  the 
Lord,"  "altar,"  "priest."  "We  have  an  altar, 
whereof  they  have  no  power  to  eat  who  serve  the 
tabernacle."  (Hebrews  XIII,  10).  All  these  are 
the  essentials,  vesture  and  paraphernalia  of  a 
sacrifice.  An  altar  and  a  priest  demand  a  victim 
and  signify  a  sacrifice. 

"Partaking  of  an  altar"  suggests  Communion. 

What  is  the  voice  of  the  Liturgies  on  the 
same  point? 

All  the  most  ancient  Liturgies,  Greek,  Latin, 
Armenian,  Syro-Chaldaic,  Ethiopian  and  Coptic 
attest  the  origin  of  the  Mass  as  dating  from  the 
age  of  Christ  and  the  Apostles,  and  are  full  of 
expressions  which  convey  the  idea  of  sacrifice. 

What  is  the  tradition  regarding  the  Mass? 

There  are  two  distinct  phases  of  this  tradition — 
one  extending  from  the  beginning  and  running 
down  to  the  rise  of  Protestantism  in  the  sixteenth 
century;  the  other,  from  that  epoch  until  the 
present.  The  special  characteristic  of  the  first 
period  is  a  simple  and  abiding  faith  in  the  identity 
of  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass  with  the  sacrifice  of 
the  Cross.  There  was  no  theory  or  speculation 
about  it.  Early  Fathers  and  medieval  theologians 
assume  this  sameness  between  the  two  sacrifices 
as  a  first  and  self-evident  principle,  because  re- 
vealed   by    God    and    taught    by    His   Church. 


116  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

Thomassin  voices  this  universal  acceptance  in  the 
century  after  the  Reformation,  when  he  says: 
"If  it  be  established  that  the  sacrifice  of  the 
Eucharist  is  the  same  as  that  of  the  Cross,  it  will 
be  proved  by  the  same  means  that  in  the  Eucharist 
a  true  sacrifice  is  offered  (for  no  one  ever 
questioned  the  sacrifice  of  the  Cross)."  (De  In- 
carnatione  Verbi,  1.  10.  C.  17). 

Therefore,  to  St.  Ignatius  Martyr,  St.  Cyprian, 
St.  Cyril  of  Jerusalem,  St.  Ambrose,  St.  Chrysos- 
tom,  St.  Augustine,  Pope  Gregory  the  Great  and 
a  host  of  other  witnesses,  whose  testimony  is  re- 
corded, the  Mass  is  but  the  offering  day  by  day, 
and  often  in  the  day,  under  the  Sacramental  veil, 
of  the  Divine  Victim,  once  for  all  immolated  on 
the  altar  of  the  Cross. 

What  is  characteristic  of  the  second  period 
of  this  Tradition? 

It  was  a  time  of  speculation,  theorizing  and 
earnest  investigation  of  all  questions  pertaining 
to  the  nature  of  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass  itself. 
In  the  ages  of  Faith  the  dominant  note  was  to 
accept  without  question  the  altar  as  another  Cal- 
vary, whereon  was  perpetuated  the  tragedy  of  the 
Cross.  With  the  incoming  of  Protestantism,  the 
very  sacrificial  character  of  the  Eucharist  was 
controverted,  and  as  this  dissent  had  to  be  met  on 
its  own  grounds,  theologians  were  forced  to  define 
the  term  "sacrifice"  and  prove  that  the  Mass  ful- 


The  Sacrifice  of  the  New  Law      117 

filled  this  definition  and  contained  within  itself  all 
the  requirements  of  a  sacrifice. 

Who  led  the  assault  against  the  Doctrine  of 
the  Eucharistic  Sacrifice? 

John  Calvin,  of  Geneva,  the  ablest  and  most 
astute  of  all  the  Reformers. 

What  was  the  nature  of  his  attack? 

He  argued  that  if  it  be  a  sacrifice,  "then  the 
victim  which  is  offered  must  be  immolated;  there- 
fore, if  Christ  is  sacrificed  in  every  Mass  He  must 
be  cruelly  put  to  death  every  moment  in  a 
thousand  different  places."  Insisting  on  the  essen- 
tial nature  of  sacrifice,  he  denied  that  it  can  be 
unbloody  and  retain  the  name. 

Who  answered  this  objection  and  how? 

Cardinal  Bellarmine  ( De  Controversiis  ch.  XXV) 
by  replying  that  Christ  is  offered  in  the  Mass,  not 
in  specie  propria,  or  in  his  own  human  form, 
but  under  the  form  of  bread  and  wine,  and  that 
the  destruction  is  such  as  befits  a  victim  offered 
under  this  guise.  His  contention  was  that  con- 
suming or  manducation,  not  slaying  or  the  shed- 
ding of  blood,  lay  at  the  root  of  the  thought  of 
destruction  in  the  Mass.  There  has  been  a  very 
recent  revival  of  the  same  theory,  which  is  known 
as  the  Banquet  theory  of  sacrifice,  as  if  the 
destruction  or  immolation  implied  in  sacrifice  was 
effected  by  Communion  alone. 


118  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

What  may  be  said  of  the  completeness  of 
this  answer? 

It  seems  to  be  inconclusive,  because,  unless  the 
definition  of  sacrifice  be  recast  there  is  no  warrant 
for  the  statement  that  the  eating  of  all,  or  any 
portion  of  the  victim  offered  in  sacrifice  partakes 
of  the  character  of  a  sacrificial  destruction.  The 
immolation  to  God  came  first.  Therein  lies  the 
whole  gist  of  the  sacrifice.  The  feasting  of  man 
came  after  the  real  sacrifice  and  was  no  essential 
part  of  it. 

How  should  the  objection  be  met? 
By  insisting  there  is  a  destruction  or  change  in 
the  thing  offered. 

Who  first  taught  this  essential  of  a  Chris- 
tian Sacrifice? 

Albert  the  Great,  who  taught  St.  Thomas 
Aquinas.  He  writes:  "Hence  it  includes  two 
things:  a  victim  slain,  and  the  offering  of  it."  (4. 
S.  D.  XIII.  a.  23.) 

Who  is  credited  with  it? 

St.  Thomas  Aquinas,  who  says:  "That  is  prop- 
erly a  sacrifice  when  something  is  done  to  the 
thing  offered,  as  when  animals  were  slain  and 
burnt,  and  bread  is  broken  and  eaten  and  blessed. 
It  is  called  an  offering  simply  when  a  gift  is  made 
to  God  and  nothing  is  done  to  it,  as  money  or 


The  Sacrifice  of  the  New  Law      119 

bread  is  said  to  be  offered  when  merely  placed  on 
the  altar.  Hence  every  sacrifice  is  an  offering, 
but  not  conversely."     (Q.  85,  a.  3). 

Wherein  is  the  destruction  or  change  essen- 
tial to  a  Christian  Sacrifice? 

Following  the  guidance  of  St.  Thomas,  as  above 
foreshadowed,  St.  Liguori  placed  it  in  the  Conse- 
cration and  Communion  jointly,  with  the  larger 
share  to  the  Consecration.  The  almost  unanimous 
opinion  of  theologians,  however,  reposes  it  in  the 
Consecration  alone,  because  therein  by  the  miracle 
of  Transubstantiation  and  the  consequent  destruc- 
tion of  the  substance  of  the  bread  and  wine  lie  all 
the  requirements  of  a  sacrifice. 

Bellarmine  and  De  Lugo  are  lined  up  with 
Liguori  and  insist  upon  Communion  as  the  final 
destruction  of  the  victim  akin  to  the  fire  in  the  holo- 
caust. In  the  sense  that  it  is  of  divine  appoint- 
ment, the  Communion  of  the  celebrant  is  however 
essential  to  the  Mass  and  cannot  even  by  the 
Church  be  dispensed  with.  The  Mass  was  insti- 
tuted to  provide  a  sacrifice  and  furnish  a  sacra- 
ment. The  Consecration  is  the  sacrifice;  the 
Communion  the  sacrament. 

What  then  would  be  a  sufficient  reply  to  the 
Reformers'  objection? 

(1)  "For  as  it  is  appointed  unto  men  once  to  die, 
so  also  Christ  was  offered  once  to  exhaust  the  sins 


120  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

of  many — and  by  one  oblation  He  hath  perfected 
forever  them  that  are  sanctified."   ( Heb.  IX.  27, 28. ) 

"I  am  first  and  last  and  the  living  One;  I  was 
dead  and  behold  I  am  alive  for  evermore." 
( Apocal.  I.  19. ) 

The  sacrifice  of  Calvary  will  never  have  a  fellow 
alike  in  every  respect.  His  real  death  can  never 
be  repeated.  His  passion  and  death,  once  for  all, 
by  the  fullness  of  their  ransom,  met  all  the  exac- 
tions of  God's  justice  with  reference  to  sinners 
for  all  time.  Whilst  that  sacrifice  was  infinitely 
meritorious,  exceeding  all  possible  demands,  the 
sacrifice  of  the  Mass  is  necessary  for  the  applica- 
tion to  individual  souls  of  that  affluence  of  expia- 
tory merit,  of  which  the  Death  on  the  Cross  was 
the  cause.  The  Church  has  always  taught  that 
the  immolation  in  the  Mass  is  but  figurative  and 
commemorative,  though  real,  of  the  unrepeated 
and  unrepeatable  sacrifice  of  the  Cross,  and  the 
destruction  indispensable  to  sacrifice  is  realized  in 
the  mystic,  moral  and  veiled  death  as  represented 
by  the  separate  Consecration  of  the  bread  and 
wine.  Thus  the  Mass  is  both  the  shadow  and 
reality  of  Calvary.  The  real  death  which  forbids 
renewal  is  mysteriously  renewed  in  the  Mass  and 
its  fruits  given  to  human  souls,  not  only  because 
the  death  once  endured  is  inexhaustible  in  its 
power  to  sanctify  and  save,  but  also  because  to 
God,  who  knows  neither  a  yesterday  nor  to-mor- 
row, that  death  is  always  an  ever-present  reality. 


The  Sacrifice  of  the  New  Law      121 

(2)  Cajetan,  the  commentator  of  St.  Thomas, 
and  the  last  of  the  medievalists  observes:  "In  the 
New  Testament  the  sacrifice  is  not  repeated  but 
the  one  victim  once  offered  continues  in  the  state 
of  immolation."  The  Death  of  the  Cross  is  con- 
tinued in  the  Mass,  which  is  therefore  the  show- 
ing forth  of  the  Lord's  death  until  He  comes. 

(3)  Melchior  Canus  thus  discourses:  "Let  us 
concede  the  point  that  a  perfect  immolation  de- 
mands a  slain  victim.  We  believe  this  to  be 
essential  to  a  true  sacrifice.  Now  (they  will 
argue )  we  offer  a  living  and  breathing  victim,  for 
the  Body  in  the  Eucharist  is  one  and  the  same 
with  that  which  is  in  Heaven.  Granted.  But 
though  Christ's  Body  in  the  Eucharist  has  life  in 
it  and  the  Blood  is  in  the  Body,  it  is  not  offered  as 
having  life  in  it,  nor  is  the  Blood  offered  as  in  the 
Body.  The  Body  is  offered  as  slain  and  the  Blood 
as  shed  on  the  Cross.  If  the  Victim  of 
Calvary  were  to  hang  on  the  Cross  before 
the  eyes  of  the  faithful  in  every  place  and 
time,  we  should  need  no  memorial  and  rep- 
resentation of  it.  But  because  that  visible  im- 
molation, done  and  over  with,  is  yet  so  acceptable 
to  God  and  is  as  meritorious  to-day  as  when  Blood 
flowed  from  the  Saviour's  open  side,  therefore,  do 
we  truly  offer  now  the  same  sacrifice.  For  us 
Christ  renews  the  sacrifice  after  a  symbolic 
fashion  and  sets  it  before  us  in  a  transcript  of  it. 
But  this  symbolism  does  not  at  all  stand  in  the 


122  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

way  of  our  offering  the  self -same  Blood  shed  on 
the  Cross,  just  as  if  it  were  now  being  poured 
forth  before  our  eyes."  (De  Locis  Theol.  1  ib. 
XII,  c.  12). 

7s  Christ  sacrificed  in  Heaven  coincidently 
with  the  Mass? 

No,  there  can  be  no  sacrifice  in  Heaven. 

We  must  always  bear  in  mind  that  it  is  not  the 
glorified  Body  of  Christ  that  is  in  any  wise  phy- 
sically affected,  but  Christ  in  the  Sacrament  who 
is  sacrificed. 

What  is  the  office  of  Christ  as  mediator  in 
Heaven? 

To  apply  to  individual  souls  the  price  of  the 
ransom  wrought  in  His  Crucifixion.  He  pleads 
with  the  wounds  of  His  Sacred  Humanity  and  by 
the  life  that  was  laid  down  and  taken  up  again 
for  the  salvation  of  the  redeemed. 

Bibliography:  The  Eternal  Sacrifice,  Pere  de  Condren, 
New  York,  1906;  Moral  Theology,  Gury,  de  Ligouri,  Peter 
Dens,  Franzelin,  De  Lugo,  Vasquez,  Bellarmine,  De  Con- 
troversiis;  Bible  Dictionary,  Hastings,  Scribners;  De  Locis 
Theol.,  Melchior  Canus;  The  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  Dr. 
Alex.  Mac  Donald,  V.  G.,  New  York,  1905;  Histoire  du 
Sacrifice  de  la  Messe,  Vacant,  Paris,  1896;  Catechism, 
Doctrinal,  Moral,  Historical  and  Liturgical,  Rev.  Patrick 
Power,  Dublin,  1905;  Hierurgia,  Dr.  Rock;  American 
Eccles.  Review,  Sept.,  1905;  Irish  Eccl.  Record,  March, 
1906;  New  York  Review,  Dec- Jan.,  1906;  The  Holy 
Eucharist,  Bishop  Hedley,  1907;  Cambridge  Conferences, 
1899,  Joseph  Rickaby,  S.  J. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  MASS. 

By  what  names  was  the  Holy  Sacrifice  desig- 
nated in  the  Ancient  Liturgical  Books  and  in 
the  Writings  oj  the  Fathers  of  the  Church? 

(1)  Its  most  ancient  name  is  that  given  in  the 
Acts  of  the  Apostles  (ch.  XX.  v.  7)  the  "Break- 
ing of  the  Bread." 

(2)  In  the  second,  third  and  subsequent  cen- 
turies it  was  called  the  Collects  or  Synaxis,  because 
the  faithful  were  gathered  together  as  one  body 
or  congregation  to  celebrate  it. 

(3)  The  name  Dominicum  was  given  to  it, 
because  it  was  a  most  august  function  by  virtue 
of  the  institution  of  Christ  and  the  precept  of  the 
Church. 

(4)  Liturgia  it  was  called;  that  is  a  public 
ministry,  because  its  celebration  is  a  function 
eminently  public  and  the  centre  of  all  Catholic 
worship. 

(5)  Toward  the  end  of  the  third  century  or 
beginning  of  the  fourth,  the  term  Mass  began 
to  be  applied  to  it  in  the  Latin  church. 

Who  among  the  Fathers  oj  the  Church  first 
used  this  name? 

St.  Ambrose,  Bishop  of  Milan  (397).  His  re- 
ference to  it  under  this  appellation  suggests,  not 


124  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

the  coining  of  a  new  word,  but  a  traditional  desig- 
nation for  it  in  general  vogue  before  his  time. 

Why  were  these  strained  and  indefinite 
titles  applied  to  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Eucharist? 

Because  it  was  an  age  of  persecution,  and  on 
account  of  Pagan  unwillingness  or  incapacity  to 
comprehend  the  true  nature  of  the  sacrifice.  As 
a  safeguard  against  hostile  trespass  and  violence, 
the  strictest  discipline  of  secrecy  was  enforced 
and  these  names  were  employed  to  conceal  the 
true  nature  of  the  holy  mysteries  from  the  unini- 
tiated, whether  friend  or  foe. 

What  is  the  origin  of  the  word  Mass? 

Liturgical  writers  are  not  agreed  as  to  its 
origin.  Some  derive  it  from  the  Hebrew  Massah, 
a  debt  or  obligation;  others  from  the  Greek, 
Myesis,  initiation,  and  others  from  an  obsolete 
Mes  or  Messe  which  among  the  Scandanavians 
signified  a  banquet,  and  sometimes  a  sacrifice. 

The  majority,  however,  favor  its  derivation 
from  the  Latin  Missa  or  Missio,  a  dismissal, 
referring  to  the  custom  in  the  Christian  Church 
of  the  first  six  centuries,  when  the  Disciplina 
Arcani  or  Discipline  of  the  Secret  prevailed,  of 
dismissing  the  Catechumens  and  Public  Penitents 
after  the  gospel  and  sermon  and  before  the  more 
solemn  part  of  divine  service  began.  This  two- 
fold dismissal  of  the  Catechumens  and  Public  Peni- 
tents at  the  beginning  of  the  Mass,  and  of  the 


The  Mass  125 

faithful  at  the  end,  with  the  invitation,  "Ite, 
Missa  est"  (go,  it  is  the  dismissal)  gave  the 
name  of  Missae  or  Missiones  ( dismissals )  to  the 
service.  From  the  same  cause  is  also  derived  the 
division  known  as  the  "Mass  of  the  Cate- 
chumens," and  the  "Mass  of  the  Faithful,"  the 
former  extending  from  the  beginning  to  the 
Offertory,  the  latter  from  the  Offertory  to  the  end. 
Missa  as  here  used  is  not  a  participle  of  mitto, 
but  a  later  Latin  substantive  synonomous  with 
missio  or  dismissal. 

By  what  names  was  the  Mass  known  among 
the  Greeks? 

It  was  called  Mystagogia,  because  a  participa- 
tion in  sacred  mysteries;  Synaxis  or  union  with 
the  Saviour;  Anaphora,  a  lif ter-up  of  minds  and 
hearts  to  God;  Eulogia  from  its  propitiatory 
character;  Hierurgia,  a  sacred  function;  Myster- 
ion,  because  of  the  mysteries  it  contained;  Deipnon 
or  banquet,  where  Christ  is  consumed;  Agathon  or 
good  by  excellence;  Teleion  or  perfection,  as 
describing  the  spotlessness  of  the  Victim;  Pros- 
phora,  guide  to  a  happy  eternity.  These  names 
are  obsolete  now  and  are  found  only  in  the  sacred 
writings  of  the  Greek  Fathers  of  the  early  Church. 
Contemporaneously  and  exclusively  the  Mass  in 
the  entire  East  is  now  called  Liturgia. 

Who  celebrated  the  first  Mass? 

There  is  limited  agreement  among  specialists 


126  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

that  the  first  Mass  was  offered  by  St.  Peter,  on 
Pentecost,  in  the  same  cenacle  where  the  Last 
Supper  was  held. 

Is  the  opinion  unanimous  regarding  its 
celebration  on  Pentecost? 

The  Venerable  Mary  d'  Agreda,  the  Spanish 
Franciscan  nun,  assigns  the  day  of  the  octave  of 
the  Feast,  but  the  most  common  and  probable 
opinion  selects  the  very  day  on  which  the  Holy 
Ghost  descended.  Did  He  come  before  or  after 
the  Consecration?  Theophile  Reynaud  asserts  He 
came  after  the  Communion  of  the  faithful,  and 
St.  Proclus,  Patriarch  of  Constantinople,  inclines 
to  the  opinion  that  He  descended  before  the  Con- 
secration. 

Why  was  not  the  first  Mass  offered  until 
Pentecost? 

(1)  Because  it  was  desirable  to  receive  the  full- 
ness of  the  Holy  Spirit  before  offering  so  holy  a 
sacrifice. 

(2)  Because  the  complete  abrogation  of  the  Old 
Law  as  to  its  priesthood  was  not  consummated  till 
Pentecost,  and,  therefore,  it  was  inexpedient  to 
introduce  the  new  priesthood  and  sacrifice  until 
that  time.  The  Acts  of  the  Apostles  (Acts  II, 
42,  46)  seems  to  confirm  this  opinion,  for  we 
read  therein,  that  before  the  descent  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  the  Apostles  "were  all  persevering  with  one 


The  Mass  127 

mind  in  prayer,"  and  after  the  descent,  "the 
breaking  of  bread" — the  celebration  of  Holy  Com- 
munion and  the  Mass,  inf erentially,  are  mentioned. 

What  was  the  language  of  the  first  Mass? 

Three  languages  were  in  vogue  in  Judea  in  the 
years  of  Christ;  Syro-Chaldaic,  Greek  and  Latin. 
Syro-Chaldaic  supplanted  the  ancient  Hebrew  after 
the  Babylonian  Captivity  ( 586  B.  C. )  as  the  ver- 
nacular. Greek  became  the  official  language  after 
the  conquest  of  Alexander  the  Great  (332  B.  C. ) 
and  through  the  dynasty  of  the  Seleucidae.  The 
Latin  tongue  followed  the  Roman  legions  under 
Pompey  the  Great  (63  B.  C.)  and  Crassus  (55 
B.  C.)  when  they  had  wrested  Palestine  from  the 
Greek  dominion.  The  Syro-Chaldaic,  or  Syriac, 
or  Aramaic,  from  Aram  the  fifth  son  of  Shem, 
was  demonstrably  the  ordinary,  everyday  language 
of  our  Blessed  Lord.  His  gospel  utterances  like 
'  'Ephphetha, "  be  thou  opened, '  'Efoi,  Eloi  lamma 
sabacthani" — My  God,  My  God,  why  hast  Thou 
forsaken  me,  Abba,  Haceldama,  Golgotha,  Mam- 
mon, Messias,  Satan,  Raca,  Cephas,  Martha, 
Tabitha  belong  to  the  Syriac. 

Eck,  the  German  scholar,  in  the  sixteenth 
century  contended  that  the  first  and  subsequent 
Masses  for  a  time  were  said  everywhere  in 
Hebrew.  The  majority  of  the  liturgical  experts, 
however,  dissent  emphatically  from  this  view  and 
favor  the  theory  that  the  first  Mass  in  different 


128  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

localities  followed  the  local  language — Syriac  in 
Jerusalem;  Greek  at  Antioch,  Athens  andJAlex- 
andria;  Latin  at  Rome  and  in  France  and  Spain 
and  throughout  the  Roman  dominion  in  the 
West. 

It  is,  however,  impossible  to  demonstrate  with 
any  certainty  whether  the  Apostles  adapted  the 
sacrifice  to  the  language  of  the  nations  to  whom 
they  preached,  or  offered  it  in  the  Aramaic,  Greek 
or  Latin  tongue. 

That  these  three  languages,  consecrated  by 
their  use  in  the  inscription  on  the  Cross  of  the 
Redeemer,  were  generally  employed  during  the 
first  four  centuries  is  proved  by  the  fact  that  all 
the  Liturgies  of  that  period  are  written  only  in 
these  languages. 

What  Language  was  first  in  use  in  the 
Roman  Church? 

It  is  very  probable  that  the  Roman  Church 
used  the  Greek  language  in  the  Mass  until  the 
third  century.  Vestiges  of  this  usage  are  extant 
in  ancient  and  contemporaneous  Liturgies.  Many 
of  the  terms  in  use  in  the  service  of  the  altar 
belong  to  that  language,  as,  for  instance,  acolyth, 
deacon,  presbyter  or  priest,  episcopus  or  bishop, 
canon,  baptism,  Eucharist.  In  unison  with  these 
vestiges  is  also  the  custom  in  our  day  of  chanting 
the  Epistle  and  Gospel  both  in  Latin  and  Greek  in 
a  solemn  Pontifical  Mass  at  which  the  Pope  is 


The  Mass  129 

celebrant,  and  of  singing  the  Passion  of  our  Lord 
in  Greek  on  Good  Friday  in  the  Papal  chapel. 

From  the  third  and  fourth  centuries  the  Latin 
tongue  was  in  general  use  in  the  Church  through- 
out the  entire  West,  which  comprised  Italy,  Spain, 
Gaul,  Germany  and  the  British  Isles. 

In  how  many  different  Languages  is  the 
Mass  of  to-day  Celebrated? 

Twelve — Latin,  Greek,  Syriac,  Chaldaic,  Slav- 
onic, Arabic,  Armenian,  Coptic,  Ethiopic,  Ruthen- 
ian,  Bulgarian  and  Roumanian. 

Where  is  Latin  used? 

In  the  entire  Western  Church  and  in  a  few 
localities  in  the  East.  Latin  has  been  the  speech 
of  the  Church  since  its  infancy  and  is  therefore  a 
sort  of  mother  tongue. 

Where  is  Greek  used? 

Among  the  Uniats,  or  Melchite  Catholics  of  the 
East  and  West  who  are  residents  in  Syria,  Jerusa- 
lem, Russia,  Greece,  Europe  and  America.  The 
Uniats  are  the  followers  of  the  Greek  Liturgy 
who  accept  the  jurisdiction  and  bow  to  the 
authority  of  the  Holy  Roman  See.  The  Schis- 
matic Greeks  rejoice  in  the  title  "Holy  Orthodox 
Church  of  the  East,"  and  the  Church  of  Rome 
humors  their  vanity  or  prejudice  by  calling  those 
of  the  Greek  communion  who  desert  it  for 
Rome,  Uniats,  or  those  united.     They  are  also  cal- 


130  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

led  Melchites  from  the  Syriac  Malko,  a  king,  a 
title  used  for  the  first  time  at  the  Council  of 
Chalcedon  (451)  to  distinguish  the  orthodox  wing 
led  by  the  Emperor  Marcian.  Its  synonym  in 
the  West  is  Papist.  These  Uniats  have  three 
Patriarchs  resident  respectively  at  Antioch,  Alex- 
andria and  Jerusalem. 

In  addition  to  the  Greek  Tongue,  what  else 
does  Rome  alloiv? 

Rome  permits  the  Melchite  Catholics  to  use  the 
three  Liturgies  of  St.  John  Chrysostom,  St.  Basil, 
and  the  Presanctified;  to  consecrate  the  Holy 
Eucharist  in  leavened  bread;  give  Communion 
under  both  species;  say  the  Creed  without  the 
"Filioque;"  pour  warm  water  into  the  chalice  after 
Consecration,  and  their  clergy  to  marry.  This  lat- 
ter concession  needs  to  be  thus  qualified:  —neither 
the  so-called  Orthodox  Greek  Church  nor  the 
Uniats  allow  marriage  in  Sacred  Orders,  which 
include  the  Diaconate  and  Priesthood.  Within 
those  sacred  precincts  it  is  permitted  to  no  one  to 
marry.  A  wife,  however,  wedded  prior  to  the 
acceptance  of  the  Diaconate  need  not  be  discarded, 
even  though  the  husband  go  on  to  the  priesthood. 
If  she  die  before  her  husband,  he  cannot  wed 
again  without  renunciation  of  his  ministry.  The 
members  of  the  Greek  hierarchy  are  always 
celibates  and  chosen  from  the  monks.  The  prac- 
tice of  celibacy  in  the  Church  is  an  item,  not  of 


The  Mass  131 

Divine  law,  but  of  ecclesiastical  discipline,  and 
therefore  a  subject  of  Church  adaptation  to  local 
or  racial  conditions.  By  Papal  mandate  the  privi- 
lege of  marrying  is  denied  the  Graeco-Italians. 

Where  is  the  Syriac  Language  in  use? 

Among  the  Syrian  Melchites  of  the  East  and 
the  Maronites  of  Mount  Lebanon.  These  latter 
are  known  as  the  "Eastern  Papists,"  so  intense  is 
their  loyalty  to  Rome,  and  derive  their  name 
either  from  a  holy  monk,  St.  Maro,  who  lived  the 
life  of  a  recluse  in  the  Lebanon  range,  or  '  'Moran" 
(our  Lord).  Their  Liturgy  is  the  very  ancient 
one  of  St.  James,  and  their  language,  very  prob- 
ably, that  of  Christ  and  His  Blessed  Mother  and 
the  most  of  the  Apostles.  In  deference  to  their 
antiquity  and  as  a  reward  of  their  faithfulness  the 
Maronites  are  privileged  to  retain  all  their  primi- 
tive customs.  They  use  incense  at  Low  and  High 
Mass,  unleavened  bread  in  the  Holy  Eucharist  like 
to  the  Western  Church,  give  Communion  under 
both  forms,  except  to  the  sick,  read  the  Gospel  in 
Arabic,  the  vernacular,  after  its  Syriac  reading, 
and  elect  their  Patriarch  by  popular  ballot  to  be 
sanctioned  afterwards  by  Rome. 

Where  is  the  Chaldaic  Language  permitted? 

Among  the  Babylonian  Catholics,  who  are  re- 
claimed from  the  Nestorians,  and  inhabit  chiefly 
Mesopotamia,  Armenia,  Kurdistan,  and  whose 
Patriarch,  with  the  title  of  "Babylonia,"  resides  at 


132  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

Bagdad.  These  Nestorians,  from  Nestorms,  a 
Syrian  Patriarch  of  Constantinople,  a  heresiarch, 
in  the  fifth  century,  are  the  most  numerous 
Christian  body  in  the  East.  Although  they  in- 
dignantly repudiate  the  name,  it  has  clung  to 
them  since  the  General  Council  of  Ephesus  (431) 
condemned  Nestorius  for  teaching  that  two  per- 
sons tenanted  the  God-Man,  Christ — a  Divine  and 
a  human — instead  of  the  true  doctrine  then  and 
there  proclaimed,  of  a  single  Divine  person,  and 
also  because  he  denied  the  title  of  "Mother  of 
God"  to  the  Blessed  Virgin. 

Where  is  the  Slavonic  Language  allowed? 

Among  all  those  of  the  Slavonic  nation  who  are 
in  communion  with  Rome,  whether  found  in 
Turkey,  Russia,  Istria,  Liburnia  or  on  the  seacoast 
of  old  Dalmatia.  The  privilege  of  a  vernacular 
Liturgy  was  granted  by  Pope  Adrian  II  ( 867 )  to 
prevent  the  Christian  converts  of  SS.  Cyril  and 
Methodius  from  seceding  to  the  Greek  schismatics 
-confirmed  afterwards  by  John  VIII  (872),  In- 
nocent IV  (1248)  and  Benedict  XIV  (1740).  Leo 
XIII,  through  the  Congregation  of  Rites  (1898) 
decreed  that  only  those  churches,  not  individuals, 
could  use  the  Slavic  language  where  it  had  been 
in  uninterrupted  use  for  at  least  thirty  years;  that 
Latin  and  Slavic  are  to  be  taught  in  the  seminaries, 
and  that  the  language  herein  permitted  is  not  the 
common  vernacular  ( Slavica  vulgaris) ,  which  may 


The  Mass  133 

be  employed  in  preaching,  but  the  Palaeo-Slavic 
or  ancient  tongue.  It  is  also  called  the  Glagolitic 
dialect  from  Glagol,  the  liturgical  alphabet  of  the 
Illyrian,  Croatian  and  Dalmatian  Slavs,  in  use 
since  the  ninth  century,  and  older  than  the  Cyril- 
lic alphabet  which  superseded  it. 

Where  is  the  Armenian  Language  found? 

Among  the  Roman  Armenians  of  Armenia  or 
Turkomania,  Asia  Minor,  Syria,  Palestine,  Turkey, 
Georgia,  Greece,  Africa,  Italy,  Russia  and  America. 

The  Armenians,  like  the  Maronites,  use  un- 
leavened bread  in  the  Holy  Eucharist.  Their 
choicest  liturgical  books  are  published  and  printed 
by  the  monks  of  the  celebrated  Armenian  monas- 
tery on  the  island  of  San  Lazaro,  Venice. 

The  majority  of  Armenians  are  Monophysites 
( monos,  one  and  physis,  nature )  after  Eutyches, 
who  taught  there  was  only  one  nature  in  Christ, 
the  Divine,  an  error  condemned  in  the  General 
Council  of  Chalcedon  (451).  They  are  called 
Jacobites  in  Syria  and  throughout  the  East  from 
James  Baradai,  a  prominent  reformer.  Because 
the  water  mixed  with  wine  of  the  Mass  typifies 
Christ's  humanity,  these  heretical  Armenians  dis- 
card its  use  to  emphasize  their  doctrine  that  the 
Saviour's  Divine  nature  absorbed  every  trace  of 
His  human  nature. 

Who  are  the  Copts? 

They    are   the    Christian   descendants   of   the 


134  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

ancient  Egyptians,  unmixed  with  Arabic  blood, 
speaking  a  language  which  they  maintain  runs 
back  to  the  Pharaohs. 

How  do  they  come  by  their  name? 

Very  probably  it  is  an  abbreviation  of  the 
Greek  Aegyptioi  (Egyptians). 

Religiously,  how  are  the  Copts  divided? 

Into  Monophysites,  the  larger  number  who  are 
both  heretical  and  schismatic,  c.nd  Roman  Copts, 
who  within  a  few  years  have  returned  to  the 
Church  in  annually  increasing  numbers. 

How  many  Liturgies  or  Mass  Formulas 
have  the  Copts? 

Twelve  altogether.  Nine  have  gone  into  disuse 
and  only  three— of  St.  Basil,  St.  Cyril  and  St. 
Gregory,  are  in  practical  use. 

What  is  the  Language  of  these  Liturgies? 
Ancient  Coptic. 

Wliere  is  the  Ethiopic  Language  found? 

It  is  the  liturgical  language  of  the  modern  Abys- 
sinians,  who  in  discipline  and  church  customs 
approximate  the  Copts.  Like  them  the  vast 
majority  are  still  Monophysites,  and  only  a  frag- 
ment has  been  converted. 

It  is  worthy  of  mention  that  among  the  schis- 
matic East  the  Abyssinian  ordinations  are  alone 
adjudged  doubtful.     This  requires   that  a  priest 


The  Mass  135 

convert  be  reordained  sub  conditione.  Essen- 
tially, however,  the  Abyssinian  ritual  and  ordina- 
tion is  accepted  as  valid,  and  followed  strictly  con- 
fers legitimate  Orders.  Carelessness  in  the  officiat- 
ing bishop  or  Abouna  is  responsible  for  making 
the  ritual  supposedly  inoperative. 

Where  are  the  other  languages  in  use? 

Arabic— In  Syria  and  Egypt  in  only  a  quasi- 
liturgical  sense. 

Ruthenian— Among  the  Ruthenians  and  Russ- 
maks,  a  branch  of  the  great  Slavic  race,  sharply 
defined  from  the  Muscovites  or  Russians  proper 
by  their  language,  character  and  customs.  They 
inhabit  Galicia,  North  Hungary,  Podolia,  Volhynia 
and  Lithuania. 

Bulgarian— In  Bulgaria,  which  is  an  autono- 
mous principality  tributary  to  Turkey  and  bounded 
by  the  Danube,  Black  Sea,  Servia  and  the  Balkan 
range. 

Rumanian— In  Rumania,  which  comprises  two 
States,  Moldavia  and  Wallachia,  called  the  Danu- 
bian  Principalities.  In  the  seventeenth  century 
many  Rumanians  entered  the  Roman  Church  and 
by  tacit  consent,  rather  than  by  formal  decree, 
were  permitted  the  use  of  their  vernacular  in  the 
Liturgy.  In  all  this  lingual  variety,  the  Rumanian 
is  the  only  tongue  in  modern  usage  employed  in 
the  Liturgy. 


136  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

Are  all  these  various  languages  really  Ver- 
naculars in  daily  use? 

Except  the  Rumanian  and  Arabic,  all  the 
liturgical  languages  above  mentioned  are  not  the 
every-day  speech  of  the  respective  nationalities. 
Some  of  them  are  so  ignorant  of  the  language  of 
their  Liturgies  that  the  rubrics  must  be  printed  in 
another  language,  as  for  instance  the  Copts, 
whose  Missal  and  ritual  are  annotated  with  direc- 
tions in  modern  Arabic.  In  each  instance,  the 
language  of  the  Mass  and  the  altar  and  the  sacra- 
ments is  an  ancient  idiom  frozen  into  unchanging 
permanency,  because  it  is  the  vehicle  and  organ 
of  an  immutable  Church  and  sacrifice  and  ministry, 
and  although  once  the  popular  speech,  it  has 
lagged  behind,  whilst  the  laws  of  growth  govern- 
ing all  spoken  tongues  have  carried  their  modern 
namesakes  far  afield  from  this  archaic,  sacrificial 
and  sacramental  language.  It  is  therefore  true, 
that  these  supposed  vernaculars  may  be  as  unintelli- 
gible to  the  races  whose  names  they  bear  as  Latin 
among  an  English-speaking  people. 

Mention  other  precedents  for  the  use  of  un- 
known tongues? 

The  Jews  always  sing  the  praises  of  Jehovah 
in  ancient  Hebrew,  which  has  been  a  dead  classic 
for  long  ages.  So  unfamiliar  are  the  people  with 
it,  that  Targums  or  translations  have  been  pub- 
lished to  instruct  them  in  its  meaning. 


The  Mass  137 

The  Arabic  of  the  Koran — a  diction  of  un- 
approachable purity  and  melody — is  a  dead  lan- 
guage for  the  Mahometan  masses,  and  yet  a 
translation  of  it  into  modern  Arabic  is  proscribed 
as  a  trespass  on  its  inviolable  sacredness. 

Among  the  Hindoos,  the  sacred  book  of  the 
Veda  is  a  sealed  fountain  save  to  the  learned 
Brahmins. 

The  people  of  Java,  Indo-China,  Ceylon,  Bali, 
Madura  and  the  Japanese  worshippers  of  Lama 
employ  in  their  Pagan  rites  a  language  known  as 
Bali,  a  dialect  of  the  Sanscrit,  a  dead  tongue  for 
many  years. 

Why  does  the  Church  of  Rome  use  the  Latin 
Language? 

(1 )  It  was  the  speech  of  her  infancy— her  mother 
tongue — the  primitive  expression  of  her  teaching. 
As  her  doctrine  is  inflexible  and  unalterable,  and 
her  love  of  her  own  ancient  days  fervent  and  per- 
severing, as  may  be  witnessed  in  many  details  of 
her  ceremonial,  the  preservation  of  the  Latin  is 
advisable  and  necessary.  Its  sharp-cut  accuracy 
and  defmiteness  of  meaning,  fixed  in  an  unchang- 
ing death,  as  it  were,  makes  it  a  peculiarly  felici- 
tous medium  for  the  scientific  and  dogmatic 
enunciation  of  doctrine.  There  is  none  of  the 
looseness  nor  demoralization  of  the  spoken  tongue, 
where  the  decent  word  of  to-day  is  by  a  public 
depraved  taste  often  made  the  vehicle  of  the  in- 
decent suggestion  of  to-morrow. 


138  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

(2)  The  Church  demands  uniformity  in  her 
sacrificial  and  sacramental  life.  Her  ideal  is  pos- 
sible only  by  the  use  of  a  common  language. 

(3)  A  oneness  of  faith  and  belief  is  promoted 
by  a  oneness  of  tongue.  A  uniform  language 
begets  a  uniformity  of  thought  and  thought-pro- 
cesses. Sameness  of  language  creates  a  bond  of 
union  and  a  point  of  contact  between  different 
nationalities.  East  and  West  might  not  be  di- 
vorced to-day  if  Rome  had  cast  the  Oriental 
Liturgies  in  Latin.  The  use  of  a  national  tongue 
lends  itself  to  the  disintegration  of  national 
churches.  The  same  Mass  in  the  same  identical 
language  throughout  the  West  gives  the  wanderer 
a  home-feeling  in  the  Church,  and  establishes  ties 
akin  to  those  of  a  common  lineage  and  encourages 
devotion  and  attention  at  the  Mass. 

(4)  The  preservation  and  use  of  the  Latin  has 
made  accessible  and  serviceable  for  multitudes 
speaking  a  variety  of  tongues  a  vast  and  valuable 
collection  of  literary  treasures  in  Pagan  and 
Christian  learning. 

By  what  names  is  the  Mass  designated? 

The  Mass  is  known  as  a  Solemn  High  Mass, 
Simple  High  Mass,  Low  Mass,  Conventual  Mass, 
Bridal  or  Nuptial  Mass,  Golden  Mass,  Private  Mass, 
Solitary  Mass,  Votive  Mass,  Dry  Mass,  Two  and 
Three-faced  Mass,  Evening  and  Midnight  Mass, 
Mass  of  the  Presanctified,  Mass  of  Requiem  and 
Mass  of  Judgment. 


The  Mass  139 

What  is  a  Solemn  High  Mass? 

A  Mass  in  which  the  Celebrant  is  assisted  by 
deacon,  sub-deacon  and  the  other  servers.  It  is 
called  High  because  chanted  in  a  high  tone.  It  is 
sometimes  called  Grand  because  of  its  ceremonial 
display  and  the  use  of  incense. 

When  celebrated  by  a  bishop  and  privileged 
prelates  it  is  called  a  Pontifical  Mass. 

What  is  a  Simple  High  Mass? 

A  Mass  chanted  like  the  Solemn  Mass  and,  there- 
fore, sometimes  called  Missa  Cantata  (chanted 
Mass)  but  by  a  celebrant  unassisted  by  deacon 
and  sub-deacon  and  without  incense. 

What  is  a  Low  Mass? 

A  Mass  devoid  of  all  solemnity,  said  by  a  priest 
in  a  low  tone  of  voice,  whence  its  name,  to  dis- 
tinguish it  from  the  High  Mass,  which  is  always 
sung.  Exclusive  of  the  silent  parts  of  the  service, 
it  is  read  by  the  priest  in  an  ordinary  tone,  alone 
or  assisted  by  a  server  who  makes  the  responses 
and  waits  on  the  celebrant. 

What  is  a  Conventual  Mass? 

The  Mass  which  the  rector  and  canons  of  a 
Cathedral  are  obliged  to  say  daily  after  Tierce— 
the  canonical  hour  of  the  divine  Office.  This  is 
the  strict  interpretation  of  the  term.  In  a  general 
way,  it  is  also  the  Mass  said  in  a  Convent  where 
the    Blessed    Sacrament    is   kept,   and  in   rural 


140  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

churches  having  the  same  privilege.  It  is  also 
called  Canonical,  Public,  Common  and  Major  be- 
cause of  its  distinct  privileges  over  ordinary 
Masses.  It  is  also  synonomous  with  the  Parochial 
Mass  which  is  offered  for  the  people  on  Sundays 
and  Holydays,  fixed  by  Urban  VIII  ( 1642 ). 

What  is  a  Bridal  or  Nuptial  Mass? 

The  Mass  known  in  the  Missal  as  "Pro  Sponso 
et  Sponsa" — for  bridegroom  and  bride— offered 
for  a  newly  married  couple  for  a  happy  and  fruit- 
ful union.  It  is  privileged  in  the  sense  that  it 
may  take  precedence  over  feasts  of  higher  rank, 
and  is  peculiar  in  some  of  its  features.  After  the 
"Pater  Noster"  and  before  the  last  blessing,  the 
current  of  the  Mass  is  interrupted  by  special 
prayers  recited  over  the  attending  couple. 

What  is  a  Golden  Mass  (Missa  Aurea )  ? 

The  Solemn  High  Mass  formerly  celebrated  on 
the  Wednesdays  "of  the  Ember  days  of  Advent, 
in  honor  of  the  Mother  of  God,  with  an  unusual 
ceremonial  and  choral  display.  The  participants 
were  the  bishop  and  his  canons  and  the  members 
of  the  religious  communities  of  the  locality. 
Costly  favors  were  distributed  among  the  people 
who  assisted  at  it.  The  church  of  St.  Gudule  in 
Brussels,  Belgium,  still  retains  this  Mass,  which  is 
said  on  December  23,  whilst  some  vestiges  of  it 
may  be  witnessed  in  a  few  of  the  churches  of 
Germany. 


The  Mass  141 

Gavantus  attributes  the  name  to  the  letters  of 
gold  which  describe  the  Mystery,  in  whose  honor 
the  Mass  was  offered. 

What  is  a  Private  Mass? 

Rubrically,  a  Private  Mass  is  a  Low  Mass  as 
distinguished  from  a  High  Mass.  By  a  stricter 
usage,  it  signifies  a  Mass  in  which  the  celebrant 
alone  communicates,  and  it  receives  its  name 
because  it  is  celebrated  in  a  private  oratory  or 
chapel,  to  which  the  people  have  not  access.  The 
Reformers  denied  the  legitimacy  of  this  Mass  and 
denounced  it  as  a  novelty  and  an  innovation. 
Cardinal  Bona  demonstrates  that  it  was  the 
practice  of  the  early  Church,  and  the  Council  of 
Trent  ( Session  22,  chap.  6 )  besides  declaring  that 
no  Mass  is  strictly  private,  for  the  reason  that  it  is 
the  official  act  of  a  public  minister  of  the  Church 
performed  in  the  name  and  for  the  benefit  of  all 
the  faithful,  also  decreed  (Session  22,  Chap.  8) 
"If  any  one  shall  say  that  those  Masses  in  which 
only  the  priest  communicates  sacramentally  are 
illicit,  and  that  hence  they  should  be  abolished,  let 
him  be  anathema." 

What  is  a  Solitary  Mass? 

For  many  years  the  custom  prevailed  among 
the  inmates  of  monasteries  of  saying  Mass  alone, 
without  server  or  attendant.  This  was  called  a 
Solitary  Mass.  It  is  now  prohibited  to  offer  Mass 
without  a  server,  except  in  special  countries,  like 


142  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

the  United  States,  where  the  privileges  are 
broad  enough  to  include  a  Mass,  "without  a  server, 
in  the  open  and  under  the  earth,  always,  however, 
in  a  becoming  place." 

What  is  a  Votive  Mass? 

The  rubrics  of  the  Missal  prescribe  a  unanimity 
between  the  Mass  and  Office  of  the  day  within 
special  limitations.  A  Mass  which  differs  from  the 
Office  is  called  Votive,  and  is  thus  designated,  be- 
cause said  in  accordance  with  the  desire  (votwn) , 
or  intention  of  the  celebrant,  or  member  of  the 
laity.  It  cannot  be  said  save  for  reasonable  cause 
and  on  days  of  minor  rite,  except  in  the  case  of 
Solemn  Votive  Masses — in  re  gravi — as  for 
example,  of  the  Most  Blessed  Sacrament  in  the 
devotion  of  the  Forty  Hours,  or  a  serious 
emergency  or  circumstance.  A  permissive  and 
wholly  adequate  reason  for  a  Votive  Mass  is  the 
special  devotion  of  celebrant,  or  participant  for 
some  particular  Mystery  or  saint. 

What  is  meant  by  the  Divine  Office  of  the 
Day? 

A  collection  of  prayers  and  lessons  recited  by 
persons  in  Sacred  Orders  as  matter  of  serious 
obligation,  unless  dispensed,  at  specific  hours 
every  day.  Substantially,  it  harks  back  to  Apos- 
tolic times.  It  is  also  called  "Canonical  Hours," 
"Ecclesiastical  Office,"  "Canonical  Office"  and 
"Breviary,"  {breve,  short),  because  it  embodies  a 


The  Mass  143 

pithy  epitome  of  the  Old  and  the  New  Testament, 
extracts  from  the  Fathers  and  biographies  of  the 
saints.  It  is  divided  into  seven  hours:  Matins 
and  Lauds,  Prime,  Tierce,  Sext,  None,  Vespers 
and  Complin. 

Why  must  the  Mass  conform  to  the  Office? 
Because: 

(a)  Each  day  by  the  desire  of  the  Church  is 
dedicated  to  the  honor  of  some  saint,  or  the 
memory  of  some  Mystery  or  divine  work.  That 
a  complete  service  may  be  rendered,  all  the  daily 
sacred  functions,  like  the  Office  and  Mass,  are  united 
to  pay  a  full  tribute  of  praise  and  honor. 

(b)  The  Office  is  a  preparation  for  Mass,  dispos- 
ing the  recitant  to  that  attentive  and  devout 
mind  which  is  necessary  for  its  proper  offering. 

What  is  a  Dry  Mass? 

A  Mass  in  which  there  is  neither  Consecration 
nor  consumption  of  either  sacred  species.  Colloqui- 
ally, it  is  the  Mass  of  the  Ordinandi  (those 
awaiting  ordination)  said  before  the  reception  of 
Holy  Orders  to  familiarize  them  with  the  proper 
celebration  of  the  Mass.  Historically,  it  was  a 
serious  service,  long  in  vogue,  which  seems  to 
have  gone  into  disuse  more  by  universal  consent 
than  special  prohibition.  There  was  always  the 
danger  of  confounding  it  with  the  real  Mass,  and 
the  further  menace  of  supplanting  it,  because  of 
the  exemption  of  the  Dry  Mass  from  many  of  the 


144  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

restrictions  of  time  and  place  which  impede  the 
genuine  Mass.  It  was  also  called  Nautical  ( Navilis) 
because  usually  said  on  shipboard,  where  often 
the  disturbance  of  the  elements  made  a  real  Mass 
impossible.  It  was  also  the  consolation  of  the 
restrained  sick,  and  prisoners  barred  from  church 
attendance.  It  was  sometimes  offered  in  the 
evening  or  night  for  the  repose  of  a  soul  just 
departed.  It  was  customary  to  use  all  the  sacred 
vestments.  The  bread  and  wine,  chalice  and 
prayers  special  to  Offertory  and  Consecration 
were  ommitted.  All  others,  including  the  "Pre- 
face" and  the  last  blessing  were  allowed. 

Pastor,  in  his  "History  of  the  Popes"  (Vol.  VII, 
p.  298,  note)  attributes  this  Missa  Sicca,  Dry 
Mass,  to  a  struggle  for  a  proper  maintenance  on 
the  part  of  the  lower  clergy  in  Germany  prior  to 
the  Reformation. 

What  is  a  Two-faced  or  Three-faced  Mass? 

Missa  bifaciata,  trifaciata  (two-faced,  three- 
faced)  was  another  subterfuge,  a  cunning  device 
to  meet  the  wants  of  a  needy  or  avaricious  clergy 
by  only  a  partially  multiple  celebration  to  secure 
the  additional  honoraria,  and  yet  escape  the 
penalties  of  the  Church  inflicted  on  those  who 
frequently  celebrated  on  the  same  day.  It  was  a 
Mass  repeated  two  or  three  times  to  the  Offertory 
for  a  variety  of  intentions,  to  be  concluded  finally 
with  one  Canon,  Consecration  and  Communion. 


The  Mass  145 

What  is  Evening  Mass  (Missa  Vespertina)? 

A  Mass  peculiar  to  Africa,  as  late  as  the  fifth 
century,  said  by  a  priest,  who  was  not  fasting,  on 
the  evening  of  Holy  Thursday,  in  memory  of  the 
institution  of  the  Holy  Eucharist. 

Akin  to  this  was  a  limited  custom  of  celebrat- 
ing Mass,  by  a  fasting  or  non-fasting  priest,  at 
any  hour  whether  of  day  or  night  when  one  of 
the  faithful  died.  Councils  of  Carthage,  Africa, 
and  Braga,  Portugal,  condemned  the  custom. 

What  is  Evening  Mass  in  the  Eastern 
Church? 

A  Mass  frequently  and  legitimately  offered  by 
a  non-fasting  minister  for  the  sake  of  consecrat- 
ing a  Host  to  be  given  as  a  Viaticum  to  the  dying. 
The  same  is  customary  among  the  Copts.  This 
belated  Mass  is  necessary  among  all  Orientals  who 
use  leavened  bread  in  the  Eucharist,  as  the 
Blessed  Sacrament  is  not  reserved  in  the  Taber- 
nacle as  with  us,  because  of  the  danger  of  fer- 
mentation and  corruption. 

What  is  Mid-night  Mass? 

A  Mass  permitted  in  many  chapels  and  oratories 
for  the  Christmas  celebration.  Because  of  abuses, 
the  general  public  is  excluded  from  the  privilege. 
In  the  era  of  persecution,  nightly  Masses  were  the 
rule,  and  for  many  centuries  a  mid-night  Mass 
was  the  adjunct  of  many  festivals,  which  alone 


146  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

survives  with  us  at  Christmas,  and  among  the 
Russians  at  Easter. 

What  is  the  Mass  of  the  Presanctified  in  the 
Roman  Church? 

The  Mass  said  on  Good  Friday  only. 

Whence  does  it  derive  its  name? 

"Presanctified"  signifies  "consecrated  before," 
and  is  employed  to  describe  a  Mass  in  which  there 
is  no  Consecration  of  either  element,  and  the  Host 
consumed  was  consecrated  on  the  day  before,  or 
Holy  Thursday. 

What  is  the  Mass  of  the  Presanctified  in  the 
Gh°eek  Church? 

A  Mass  offered  on  every  day  in  Lent  except 
Saturdays,  Sundays  and  the  Feast  of  Annunciation, 
wherein  the  Host  consumed  was  consecrated  in  a 
previous  Mass. 

When  did  this  custom  originate  in  the  Greek 
Church? 

It  originated,  at  least,  with  the  Council  of 
Laodicea  (314). 

Is  Communion  given  at  the  same  Mass  in  the 
Greek  Church? 

Yes. 

What  is  a  Mass  of  Requiem? 

A  Mass  celebrated  for  the  dead,  to  cancel   or 


The  Mass  147 

shorten  the  sum  of  their  indebtedness  to  God's 
justice,  because  of  the  sins  of  those  who  ulti- 
mately will  be,  and  prospectively  are  saved. 
Purgatory,  therefore,  not  Hell,  is  the  exclusive 
goal  of  all  its  supplications  and  mitigations.  Hell 
and  its  victims  lie  beyond  even  the  infinite  pur- 
view of  a  Mass. 

Hoiv  many  kinds  of  Requiem  Masses  are 
there? 

The  Requiem  of  November  Second,  All  Souls; 
Requiem  on  the  occasion  of  a  death,  or  a  death  and 
burial;  a  Third  Day  Requiem,  three  days  after 
death  or  burial,  in  memory  of  Christ's  tenancy 
of  the  tomb;a  Seventh  Day  Requiem,  because 
Joseph  was  mourned  seven  days  by  the  Israelites; 
a  Thirty  Day  Requiem,  which  stands  for  the  days 
of  Israel's  mourning  for  Moses  and  Aaron;  an 
Anniversary  Requiem  on  the  annual  day  of  death 
or  burial;  the  Daily  Requiem  (Missa  Quotidiana) 
offered  outside  above  privileged  Requiems  when- 
ever allowed  by  the  rubrics. 

May  these  Masses  be  Celebrated  on  any  Day 
of  the  Year? 
No. 

What  determines  their  permission  to  be 
offered  on  any  special  Day? 

Death,  the  chant,  a  special  indult,  and  the  title 
of  the  Mass. 


148  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

What  Days  exclude  even  a  Funeral  Re- 
quiem? 

(1)  The  more  august  feasts  of  the  Church,  viz.: 
Easter,  Pentecost,  Christmas,  Epiphany,  Ascen- 
sion and  Corpus  Christi.  Also,  the  Immaculate 
Conception,  Annunciation,  Assumption,  Nativity 
of  St.  John  the  Baptist,  St.  Joseph's  feast,  and  All 
Saints.  For  Scotland,  St.  Andrew's,  and  for  Ire- 
land, St.  Patrick's  day. 

(2)  All  Sundays  to  which  a  festival  solemnity  is 
transferred. 

(3)  The  three  last  days  of  Holy  Week. 

(4)  Eve  of  Pentecost  and  on  St.  Mark's  day 
and  Rogation  days,  if  it  would  exclude  the  Bless- 
ing of  the  Font,  or  the  Procession. 

(5)  During  the  Forty  Hours. 

(6)  The  more  solemn  local  feasts,  i.  e.  of  the 
Patron  of  locality,  or  church,  and  Anniversary 
of  dedication. 

(7)  Sundays  in  parish  churches,  unless  the 
funeral  Mass  may  be  said  in  addition  to  the  usual 
parish  Masses. 

The  body  not  yet  buried,  but  not  present  for 
some  grave  reason,  like  the  interference  of  a 
municipal  law  governing  contagious  diseases, 
Mass  for  such  is  forbidden: 

(a)  When  the  Blessed  Sacrament  is  exposed  for 
some  public  reason; 


The  Mass  149 

(6)  In  the  last  three  days  of  Holy  Week; 

(c)  On  feasts  of  the  first-class. 

If  the  burial  occur  on  a  day  when  a  funeral 
Mass  is  not  allowed,  a  Mass  for  such  may  be 
offered  on  any  day  except: 

(a)  When  the  Blessed  Sacrament  is  exposed 
for  some  public  reason; 

( b )  In  the  last  three  days  of  Holy  Week; 

(c)  On  Sundays; 

(d)  On  feasts  of  first  and  second-class; 

(e)  On  feasts  of  obligation. 

Mass  of  third,  seventh,  thirtieth  days,  anniver- 
sary, whether  of  death  or  burial  and  fixed  by  will 
or  custom  is  prohibited: 

(a)  When  the  Blessed  Sacrament  is  exposed 
for  a  public  reason; 

(6)   On  Sundays; 

(c)  On  feasts  of  first  and  second-class; 

(d)  On  feasts  of  obligation; 

(e)  Within  privileged  octaves  such  as  Xmas, 
Epiphany,  Easter,  Pentecost  and  Corpus  Christi; 

(/)  Privileged  week-days  like  Ash  Wednesday 
and  all  of  Holy  Week; 

(g)   On  the  vigils  of  Christmas  and  Pentecost; 

(h)   On  Rogation  days  if  there  be  a  procession; 

(i)  On  suppressed  feast  days  in  parish  churches 
having  only  one  Mass  which  must  be  offered  for 
the  people. 


150  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

These  Masses  may  be  computed  from  the  day  of 
death  or  burial,  according  to  the  Baltimore  Ordo. 
Wapelhorst,  however,  teaches  that  an  Anniversary 
must  date  from  the  death,  or,  at  most,  from  the 
day  following  and  quotes  a  decree  of  the  S.  R.  C. 
21  July,  1855.  (Compendium  Sacrae  Liturgiae, 
p.  52,  n.  2.) 

There  is  no  distinction  as  to  privilege  between  an 
Anniversary  fixed  by  endowment  or  a  real  Anniver- 
sary annually  celebrated  on  day  of  death  or  burial. 

The  Absolution  after  the  Requiem  Mass  is 
optional  unless  the  person  making  the  offering 
demand  it. 

These  Masses  offered  on  the  third,  seventh, 
thirtieth  day  and  anniversaries  have  a  very 
ancient  origin,  as  they  are  mentioned  in  the  Apos- 
tolic Constitutions  of  the  first  centuries. 

When  is  the  Daily  Requiem  allowed? 

Only  on  days  permitting  a  Votive  Mass.  By 
special  indult  a  private  Requiem  is  allowed  in 
missionary  countries  on  Mondays,  even  though 
double  feasts  occur,  or  Tuesdays  if  Monday  will 
not  permit  it.  The  privilege  travels  no  further 
into  the  week.  This  Mass  has  the  indulgence  of 
a  privileged  altar. 

What  are  the  special  features  of  Requiem 
Masses? 

Black  vestments  always.  In  the  Mass,  no  psalm 
Judica  me,  or  Gloria,  or  blessing  of  deacon 
who  chants  the  gospel,  or  kissing  of  Missal,  or 


The  Mass  151 

Credo;  water  is  not  blessed;  the  Agnus  Dei 
terminates  in  a  plea  for  rest  for  the  dead;  there  is 
no  pax  given,  and  the  blessing  at  the  end  of  the 
Mass  is  omitted. 

Does  the  color  of  the  Vestments  affect  the 
Efficacy  of  the  Mass? 

No.  The  Mass  is  always  the  same  infinite  sac- 
rifice, no  matter  the  color  of  the  vestments. 

What  is  the  Mass  of  Judgment? 

A  Mass  said  for  the  detection  of  crime  and  the 
establishment  of  innocence,  at  which  the  accused 
assisted  and  submitted  to  a  variety  of  tests,  with 
the  presumption  that  the  Lord  would  reveal  guilt 
or  guiltlessness.  The  Book  of  Numbers,  fifth 
chapter,  very  probably  suggested  the  thought 
underlying  the  Mass. 

Is  a  Mass  of  Judgment  in  vogue  now? 
No.     It  disappeared  many  years  ago. 

Was  it  ever  sanctioned  by  the  Church? 

The  Church  never  gave  it  official  sanction.  It 
was  permitted,  however,  because  the  practice  of 
ordeals  or  tests  under  supposed  supernatural  sur- 
veillance was  very  general  among  the  Saxon, 
Germanic  and  Scandinavian  pagans,  and  as  they 
credited  the  true  God  with  an  interest  in  the 
moral  order  after  their  conversion,  they  believed 
He  would  sustain  and  verify  it  by  miraculous  in- 
terposition. For  a  while  it  was  thought  perilous  to 
interfere  with  this  manifestation  of  excessive  faith. 


152  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

Did  the  Church  condemn  this  Superstitious 
Mass  finally? 

Yes.  Through  St.  Gregory  ( 592 ) ,  Council  of 
Worms  (829 ),  Nicholas  I  (858),  Stephen  (1057), 
and  other  Popes  and  Councils. 

Is  there  a  Special  Indulgence  annexed  to  the 
First  Mass  of  a  Priest? 

By  a  decree  of  the  Sacred  Congregation,  January 
11,  1886,  Leo  XIII  granted,  on  the  usual  con- 
ditions, a  plenary  indulgence  to  the  priest  who 
celebrated  his  first  Mass — not  the  Ordination  Mass, 
and  the  same  to  his  blood  relatives  to  the  third 
degree,  inclusive,  who  assist  at  the  Mass.  For  the 
faithful  generally  who  are  present  there  is  a 
partial  indulgence  of  seven  years  and  seven  quar- 
antines. 

What  are  the  Appropriate  Postures  for  the 
Laity  attending  Mass? 

Low  Mass. 

All  should  kneel  during  the  entire  Mass,  stand- 
ing only  at  the  gospels.  In  some  places  the 
faithful  stand  at  the  Credo,  if  it  is  said,  and  bend 
the  knee  .with  the  priest  at  the  words:  "Et 
Homo  factus  est."  Those  unable  to  kneel 
throughout  the  entire  Mass  may  sit  after  the 
Credo  and  until  the  Sanctus  bell  is  rung,  and 
again  after  the  Communion  until  the  last  prayers 
are  read. 


The  Mass  153 

High  Mass. 

All  stand  during  the  Asperges.  They  kneel 
from  the  beginning  of  Mass  until  the  priest  in- 
tones the  Gloria,  when  they  stand.  They  sit 
whenever  the  priest  sits,  and  also  when  the 
announcements  are  made,  and  during  the  sermon. 
They  stand  during  the  singing  of  the  prayers, 
except  at  a  Requiem  Mass.  They  sit  during  the 
reading  of  the  Epistle  until  the  Missal  is  carried 
over  to  the  left  of  the  altar.  They  stand  at  the 
Gospel,  also  at  the  Credo  whilst  the  priest  is  recit- 
ing it  at  the  Altar,  and  sit  when  he  goes  to  the 
bench.  They  kneel  when  the  officiant  recites  and 
the  choir  sings:  '  'Et  incarnatus  est  de  Spiritu 
Sancto  ex  Maria  Virgine:  et  Homo  Jactus est.'' 
They  sit  during  the  Offertory  and  rise  when  the 
priest  begins  the  chant  of  the  Preface.  They  kneel 
from  the  Sanctus  until  after  the  Communion. 
They  sit  whilst  the  priest  purifies  and  covers  the 
chalice.  They  stand  during  the  last  prayers, 
kneel  for  the  blessing,  stand  during  the  last 
Gospel,  genuflect  at  the  "Verbum  caro  factum 
est,"  and  stand  until  finished. 

Solemn  High  Mass. 

The  same  postures  are  observed  as  at  a  High 
Mass  with  these  exceptions:  they  do  not  stand  at 
the  Gospel  when  read  by  the  Celebrant,  but  when 
it  is  sung  by  the  deacon,  and  they  stand  when 
the  censer-bearer  incenses  the  congregation. 


154  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

Masses  for  the  Dead. 

At  Low  Masses  for  the  Dead  the  same  rules 
are  to  be  observed  as  at  other  Low  Masses. 
At  a  High  Mass  they  kneel  from  the  beginning 
of  Mass  until  the  reading  and  singing  of  the 
Epistle,  when  they  may  sit.  They  stand  at  the 
singing  of  the  Gospel.  They  sit  at  the  Offertory 
until  the  Preface,  when  they  stand.  They  kneel 
from  the  Sanctus  until  after  the  Communion, 
when  they  sit.  They  kneel  at  the  last  prayers 
and  stand  at  the  last  Gospel.  If  the  Celebrant 
sit,  as  at  the  Kyrie  and  the  Dies  Irae,  the  faith- 
ful sit  also.  If  the  Libera  is  said  after  Mass 
the  people  sit  whilst  the  priest  is  vesting,  but 
rise  when  he  approaches  the  bier,  and  stand 
during  the  ceremony. 

Vespers. 

The  congregation  will  stand  when  the  Celebrant 
enters  the  sanctuary;  they  kneel  when  he  kneels 
at  the  altar  to  say  the  preparatory  prayers.  Then 
rise  with  him  as  he  proceeds  to  the  bench  and 
remain  standing  until  the  first  Psalm  is  intoned. 

They  sit  during  the  chanting  of  the  Psalms. 
Stand  when  the  Celebrant  sings  the  Chapter.  Sit 
during  the  Hymn.  Stand  at  the  Magnificat,  the 
incensing  of  the  Altar,  singing  of  the  prayer,  and 
during  the  Anthem  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  and  the 
concluding  prayer. 


The  Mass  155 

Benediction  of  the  Most  Blessed  Sacrament. 

They  kneel  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of 
the  service.  If  the  Te  Deum  is  sung  all  stand, 
genuflecting  only  at  the  words,  Te  ergo  quaesu- 
mus.  When  the  Blessed  Sacrament  is  replaced 
in  the  tabernacle,  all  rise.  All  persons  entering 
or  leaving  the  church  whilst  the  Blessed  Sacra- 
ment is  exposed  must  genuflect  on  both  knees 
and  incline  head  and  shoulders  moderately. 

Asperges. 

The  people  will  stand  when  the  Celebrant 
enters  the  sanctuary,  and  remain  standing  until 
the  end  of  the  Asperges.  They  do  not  kneel  with 
the  priest  when  he  intones  the  Asperges  or 
Vidi  Aquam.  Whilst  he  exchanges  the  cope  for 
the  chasuble  they  sit,  and  rise  as  the  Celebrant 
approaches  the  altar  to  begin  Mass. 

Bibliography:  O'Brien,  On  the  Mass;  Baltimore  Ordo; 
Gihr,  The  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass;  Benedict  XIV,  De  Sacri- 
ficio  Missae;  Van  Der  Stappen,  Sacra  Liturgia;  Klauder, 
Catholic  Practice;  Pastor,  History  of  Popes,  Vol-  VII,  1908. 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE  EFFICACY  AND   FRUITS  OF  THE   MASS. 

How  is  the  Efficacy  of  the  Mass  expressed? 

The  Mass,  according  to  the  theologians  and  St. 
Leonard's,  of  Port  Maurice,  method  of  hearing  it, 
has  a  four-fold  efficacy.     It  is  a  sacrifice: 

(1)  Of  Worship. 

(2)  Of  Propitiation,  or  sin-offering  foi  the 
remission  of  sins. 

( 3 )  Of  Impetration,  or  prayer  for  spiritual  or 
temporal  favors. 

(4)  Of  Thanksgiving  for  favors  received. 

Was  this  Efficacy  prefigured  in  the  Sacri- 
fices of  the  Old  Laiv? 

It  was  foreshadowed  in: 

(1)  The  Holocaust,  or  whole-burnt  offering, 
which  had  for  its  object  worship. 

(2 )  The  Sin  offering  for  propitiation,  or  atone- 
ment for  sin. 

(3)  The  Peace  offering  for  Impetration,  or 
entreaty  for  favors. 

( 4 )  The  Eucharistic  offering  in  thanksgiving  for 
favors  received. 


The  Efficacy  of  the  Mass  157 

Has  the  Church  sanctioned  this  Identity 
between  the  Efficacy  of  the  Mosaic  Sacrifices 
and  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass? 

The  Council  of  Trent  (Session  XXII)  decreed 
that  the  Mass  "is  that  oblation  which  was  pre- 
figured under  the  likeness  of  the  sacrifices  of  the 
Law  and,  as  their  consummation  and  perfection, 
embraces  all  the  efficacy  which  they  signified." 
The  Church,  too,  in  the  prayer  of  the  Mass  on  the 
Sixth  Sunday  after  Pentecost  thus  addresses  God: 
"God  who  hath  approved  (or  sanctioned)  the 
variety  of  victims  under  the  Law  by  the  perfec- 
tion of  one  sacrifice." 

What  is  meant  by  the  Efficacy  of  the  Mass? 

( 1 )  It  means  that  moral  dignity  which  is 
inherent  to  it  by  nature,  without  any  thought  of 
the  effects  it  produces.  This  dignity  of  the  sacri- 
fice proceeds  from  the  dignity  of  the  Sacrificer 
and  the  value  of  the  Victim. 

( 2 )  It  also  means  that  power  which  it  has  from 
its  dignity  to  produce  certain  effects,  both  with 
reference  to  God  and  creatures,  whether  in  the 
character  of  those  who  offer  it,  or  those  for 
whom  it  is  offered.  Efficacy,  therefore,  and  fruits 
stand  to  each  other  in  the  relation  of  cause  and 
effect. 

(3)  This  efficacy  may  be  considered  in  actu 
prima,  that  is,  in  the  measure  of  the  sufficiency 
which   it   has   from    its    own    inherent    dignity 


158  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

to  produce  certain  effects,  and  also  in  actu  sec- 
undo,  or  in  the  extent  of  the  aptitude  which  it 
possesses  by  virtue  of  the  will  and  institution  of 
Christ  to  produce  certain  results.  To  the  efficacy 
of  the  first  type  correspond  effects  which  it  can 
produce  from  itself.  To  that  of  the  second  type, 
effects  which  it  produces  from  the  appointment  of 
Christ. 

(4)  This  efficacy  can  be  intensively  and  ex- 
tensively infinite.  An  intensively  infinite  efficacy 
is  that  which  produces  an  effect  progressively 
greater  or  more  perfect.  An  extensively  infinite 
efficacy  is  that  which  in  its  effects  is  not  exhausted 
by  any  number  of  persons  to  whom  applied,  but  is 
equally  potent  whether  offered  for  one  or  many. 

What  is  meant  by  the  Fruits  of  the  Mass? 

The  results  actually  obtained  through  its  in- 
strumentality. 

Popularly,  what  is  meant  by  the  Fruits  of 
the  Mass? 

Popular  usage  restricts  the  fruits  of  the  Mass 
to  designate  the  effects  of  propitiation  for  the 
remission  of  sin,  and  of  impetration,  or  petition 
for  favors,  the  benefits  of  which  are  received  by 
creatures,  as  distinguished  from  those  of  worship 
and  of  thanksgiving  which  are  offered  to  God. 

Whence  does  the  Efficacy  of  the  Mass  arise? 
The  Efficacy  of  the  Mass  in  general,  that  is  to 


The  Efficacy  of  the  Mass  159 

say,  without  definite  reference  to  any  of  its  special 
effects  or  fruits,  is  derived  from  two  sources: 

(a)  The  dignity  and  worth  of  the  Victim 
offered  in  sacrifice,  and 

(b)  The  dignity  and  holiness  of  the  person  or 
persons  by  whom  it  is  offered. 

Who  is  the  Victim  offered  in  the  Mass? 

The  Victim  is  the  Sacred  Body  and  Blood  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  infinite  in  dignity  and 
worth. 

Does  this  oblation  oj  a  Victim  of  Infinite 
Dignity  make  the  Mass  a  Sacrifice  of  Infinite 
Efficacy? 

The  theologians,  with  practical  unanimity, 
answer  in  the  negative. 

De  Lugo  (De  Eucharistia,  Disp.  19,  Sect.  12,  n. 
254 )  thus  argues: 

"This  fact  of  the  infinite  worth  of  the  Victim 
is  inadequate  to  establish  the  infinite  value  of  the 
sacrifice,  because  the  sacrifice,  for  its  value,  de- 
pends more  on  the  one  offering  than  the  Victim 
offered.  Otherwise,  the  oblation  which  the 
Blessed  Virgin  made  of  her  Divine  Son  in  the 
Temple  would  have  an  infinite  value." 

Therefore,  in  estimating  the  efficacy  of  the 
Mass,  we  must  consider  by  whom,  or  in  whose 
name  the  sacrifice  is  offered. 


160  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

By  whom  is  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass  offered? 

(1)  It  is  offered  primarily  by  our  Lord  Himself, 
who,  acting  through  the  ministry  of  the  officiating 
priest,  is  both  Priest  and  Victim.  "Offering  the 
same  sacrifice,  through  the  ministry  of  His  priest- 
hood, which  He  offered  on  the  Cross — the  manner 
of  the  offering  being  alone  different,"  says  the 
Council  of  Trent. 

(2 )  It  is  offered  by  the  Universal  Church,  whose 
minister  the  priest  is,  and  in  whose  name  and  as 
whose  representative,  as  well  as  in  the  name  and 
as  the  representative  of  Christ,  he  officiates  at  the 
altar.  "As  betimes  the  emissary  of  some  power- 
ful prince  asks  a  favor  from  another  prince,  to 
whom  he  is  accredited,  and  by  virtue  of  this 
representative  character  obtains  what  he  asks, 
and  without  it  would  be  powerless,  so  also  the 
priest  is  heard  by  God  in  his  petitions,  not  merely 
as  the  minister  of  Christ,  but  because  as  the  am- 
bassador of  the  Church  accredited  to  God,  he  has 
official  approach  to  God  in  his  supplications." 
( Dicastillo,  De  Sacrificio  Missae,  Disp.  3,  n.  62 ) . 

(3)  It  is  offered  by  all  those  who  individually 
take  part  in  it  by  any  personal  act,  such,  for 
instance,  as  being  present  at  its  celebration,  assist- 
ing the  priest  as  minister  or  server,  whether 
deacon  or  subdeacon  or  acolyte,  preparing  the 
altar  for  Mass,  procuring  its  celebration  by  the 
giving  of  an  honorarium  to  the  priest,  and   the 


The  Efficacy  of  the  Mass  161 

like.  In  this  class  we  are  to  include  the  priest, 
not  as  the  representative  of  Christ  or  the  Church, 
but  merely  as  an  individual. 

In  what  sense  may  it  be  said  that  the  Mass 
is  offered  by  Our  Lord  Himself? 

As  to  the  full  sense  of  the  statement,  theologians 
are  not  in  agreement.  They  do,  at  least,  concur 
in  this  sense,  that  the  Mass  was  instituted  by  Him 
as  a  sacrifice  to  be  offered  in  His  name  by  His 
priests  to  the  end  of  time;  that  from  his  merits 
and  atonement  its  essential  efficacy  is  derived,  and 
that  by  His  power  is  wrought,  at  the  moment  of 
Consecration,  the  change  of  substance  in  which 
the  sacrifice  essentially  consists. 

Is  there  a  more  specific  sense  in  which  Christ 
may  be  said  to  offer  the  Mass? 

Theologians  of  the  first  rank,  like  Suarez,  De 
Lugo  and  Cardinal  Franzelin,  teach  that  in  every 
Mass,  Our  Lord,  at  the  moment  of  Consecration, 
by  a  present  individual  act  of  His  will,  offers  Him- 
self in  sacrifice  to  His  Eternal  Father,  and  the 
"Idem  nunc  offerens"  of  the  Council  of  Trent 
seems  to  concur  in  this  opinion. 

How  is  the  Mass  offered  by  the  Church? 

Not  as  if  the  individual  members  of  the  Church 
share  in  offering  the  sacrifice  by  any  personal  act, 
but  that  the  priest,  in  offering  it,  acts  not  only  as 
the  representative  of  Christ,  but  also  as  the  repre- 
sentative  of  the  Universal   Church,  whose   am- 


162  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

bassador  he  is  before  God's  throne  to  utter  prayers 
of  her  own  making,  and  obliging  him  to  say  these 
and  no  other,  because  they  best  express  her  wants 
and  spirit. 

Is  the  Efficacy  of  the  Mass  as  a  Sacrifice  of 
Worship  and  Thanksgiving  Infinite? 

The  ascertainable  opinion  of  theologians  seems 
to  affirm  that  it  is  infinite  when  offered  by  the  Lord. 

Is  the  Mass  Efficacious  as  a  Sacrifice  of 
Impetration  or  Petition  Jor  Favors,  Spiritual 
or  Temvoral? 

Works  or  acts,  as  distinct  from  prayers  of  petition, 
have  not  of  themselves  the  efficacy  of  Impetration. 
If  done,  however,  in  the  service  of  God,  they  are 
provocative  of  His  bounty,  and  if  performed  as 
auxiliary  to  a  prayer  or  petition,  they  become  in- 
directly efficacious  for  Impetration.  In  this  sense 
is  the  efficacy  of  the  Mass  as  a  sacrifice  of  impe- 
tration admitted. 

In  how  many  ways  is  the  Mass  Efficacious 
under  this  aspect? 

As  accompanying  and  giving  strength  to  prayers 
of  petition,  it 

(a)  Obtains  the  benefits  for  which  we  pray. 

(b)  It  is  meritorious  of  grace  and  glory. 

(c)  It  is  a  work  of  satisfaction,  remitting  or 
contributing  to  the  remission  of  the  debt  of  tempo- 
ral punishment  due  for  forgiven  sins. 


The  Efficacy  of  the  Mass  163 

Does  this  Triple  Efficacy  flow  from  the  Mass 
as  offered  by  Our  Lord? 

As  offered  by  Our  Lord,  or  by  the  priest  as  His 
minister,  the  Mass  is  not  in  itself  efficacious  as  an 
act  either  of  merit  or  satisfaction.  De  Lugo 
says:  "It  is  certain  that  Christ  does  not  now 
actually  merit  or  satisfy  by  the  offering  of  the 
sacrifice,  because  He  is  not  in  the  state  of  merit- 
ing or  satisfying." 

In  what  sense  is  it  a  Sacrifice  oj  Satisfaction 
when  offered  by  Christ? 

The  Propitiatory  efficacy  of  the  Mass  consists 
in  its  efficacy  as  a  means  by  which  the  merits  and 
satisfaction  of  His  death  on  the  Cross  may  be 
applied  to  the  souls  of  men. 

Is  it  a  Sacrifice  of  Impetration  or  Petition 
for  Favors  as  offered  by  Christ? 

Independent  of  the  question  of  the  consistency 
of  prayer  offering,  or  the  attitude  of  the  suppliant 
with  Christ's  present  state  of  triumphal  glory  in 
Heaven,  it  is  the  almost  unanimous  opinion  of 
theologians,  that  He  unceasingly  intercedes  for  us 
with  His  Father,  making  known  our  wants, 
assuring  us  of  His  love  and  sympathy,  and  plead- 
ing for  us  before  the  throne  of  God  by  His  blessed 
Humanity,  and  more  urgently  by  His  sacred 
wounds,  which  both  confirm  His  title  of  Redeemer 
and  the  earnestness  of  His  advocacy  in  our  behalf. 


164  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

This  special  intercession  with  the  Father  is  the 
concomitant  of  every  Mass  by  a  distinct,  personal 
present  act  of  Christ. 

Furthermore,  as  a  sacrificing  priest  is  primarily 
the  representative  of  Christ,  the  favors,  -  spiritual 
and  temporal,  for  which  he  offers  the  Mass,  are 
to  be  regarded  as  sought  for  not  only  by  the 
priest,  but  also  and  much  more  by  Him  whom  he 
represents. 

Is  the  Mass  when  Offered  in  the  name  of  the 
Universal  Church  productive  of  this  Triple 
Efficacy? 

As  offered  in  the  name  of  the  universal  Church 
by  the  priest  as  her  representative,  the  Mass  is 
devoid  of  the  efficacy  of  merit  and  satisfaction, 
though  not  of  petition,  because  theology  teaches 
that  merit  and  satisfaction  are  the  fruit  only  of 
individual,  personal  acts.  "From  the  Church," 
says  De  Lugo  (Disp.  79,  Sect.  II,  nn.  5,  7)  "the 
Mass  does  not  receive  the  efficacy  to  merit  or 
satisfy,  because  in  offering  it,  the  Church  does  not 
exercise  a  personal,  actual  responsibility,  but 
behaves  like  a  king  who  acts  vicariously  through 
his  ambassador." 

Is  this  Three-fold  Efficacy  the  Fruit  oj  a 
Mass  when  offered  by  the  Priest  and  those  who 
assist  at  it? 

As  viewed  in  its  lowest  aspect,  that  is  as  a  work 


The  Efficacy  of  the  Mass  165 

of  supreme  excellence,  performed  by  the  priest 
and  those  who  individually  co-operate  with  him 
in  the  offering,  it  has  this  three-fold  efficacy. 

What  is  the  Measure  of  the  Efficacy  of  the 
Mass  as  a  Sin  offering  or  a  Sacrifice  of  Pro- 
pitiation? 

It  is  two-fold: 

(a)  For  the  remission  of  the  guilt  of  sin  (reatus 
culpae )  whether  mortal  or  venial. 

(b)  For  the  remission  of  the  temporal  punish- 
ment (reatus  poenae)  due  for  forgiven  sins. 

How  does  the  Mass  operate  for  the  Remis- 
sion of  the  Guilt  of  Sin? 

There  is  a  moral  concursus  of  opinion  that 
this  effect  is  not  produced,  as  by  the  sacra- 
ments, by  a  direct  fusion  of  grace  into  the 
soul.  Some  theologians  credit  it  with  this  power 
for  the  forgiveness  of  venial  sins,  and  some 
few  in  reference  even  to  mortal  sins.  One 
or  two  theologians  teach  that  the  aid  derived 
from  a  Mass  is  an  efficacious  grace  in  the 
technical  sense,  "to  \  which  God  in  His  infinite 
knowledge  foresees  the  erring  human  will  cannot 
help  freely,  but  infallibly,  responding.''  This  last 
opinion,  however,  is  refuted  by  the  facts  of  nearly 
every  day  experience. 

The  almost  unanimous  opinion  of  theologians  is, 
that  the  Mass  may  forgive  the  guilt  of  venial  and 


166  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

mortal  sins  indirectly,  or  mediately,  by  the 
assistance  of  special  graces  obtained  from  God 
through  its  instrumentality,  by  virtue  of  whose 
inspiration  and  aid  the  sinner  may  perform  those 
acts  of  penance  without  which  the  remission  of 
the  guilt  of  sin  is  impossible. 

Does  this  effect  follow  from  the  Mass  as  a 
Sacrifice  of  Propitiation  or  Sin-offering,  or 
merely  as  a  Sacrifice  of  Impetration? 

It  is  the  result  of  the  Mass  as  a  sacrifice  of 
Propitiation,  and  not  merely  as  a  sacrifice  of 
Impetration,  or  a  petition  for  spiritual  favors. 

Keeping  in  mind  these  two  different  phases 
of  the  Mass,  what  is  the  specific  mode  of  its 
operation  relative  to  this  effect? 

Some  theologians  recognize  no  special  efficacy 
beyond  that  of  Impetration  in  the  Mass,  when 
offered  for  the  remission  of  the  guilt  of  sin.  Its 
Propitiatory  value  is  restricted  by  them  to  the  can- 
celling of  the  temporal  punishment.  Others 
discern  in  its  operation  a  greater  certainty,  when 
offered  as  a  Propitiatory  sacrifice  for  the  graces  of 
repentance  and  conversion,  than  when  offered  in 
Impetration  for  favors  temporal  or  spiritual. 

De  Lugo  explains  its  efficacy  by  a  special  mode 
of  operation,  which  from  the  end  sought  dis- 
tinguishes it  from  mere  Impetration.  In  this  case, 
he  says,  the  Mass  has  not  for  its  special  intention 


The  Efficacy  of  the  Mass  167 

the  obtaining  of  graces.  If  it  were  confined  to 
this  result,  its  efficacy  would  be  merely  of  Im- 
petration.  Its  object  as  a  Propitiatory  sacrifice  is 
to  appease  God,  angered  by  sin.  The  withholding 
of  graces  is  one  of  the  ordinary  chastisements  by 
which  God  punishes  the  sinner.  The  Mass,  then, 
as  a  Propitiatory  sacrifice,  is  offered  to  placate  His 
anger,  and  thus  to  remove  an  obstacle  which 
would  otherwise  hinder  the  operation  of  the  sacri- 
fice, as  offered  in  Impetration  for  the  graces 
leading  to  the  remission  of  sin.  This  view,  he 
contends,  is  confirmed  by  the  Council  of  Trent, 
when  it  says:  "Verily,  the  Lord  being  appeased 
by  this  oblation  and  vouchsafing  the  grace  and 
gift  of  repentance  remits  sins  even  of  the  graver 
sort." 

As  regards  the  remission  of  the  temporal 
punishment,  ivhat  is  the  Efficacy  of  the  Pro- 
pitiatory Sacrifice  of  the  Mass? 

In  this  relation  its  efficacy  is  direct  and  im- 
mediate. The  debt  is  cancelled  wholly  or  in 
part,  exactly  akin  to  the  effect  of  a  plenary  or 
partial  Indulgence. 

Does  the  Mass  also  as  an  Impetratory  Sacri- 
fice cancel  temporal  punishment? 

It  is  equally  efficacious  as  an  Impetratory  sacri- 
fice. 


168  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

In  measuring  the  fruits  of  the  Mass,  how 
must  we  distinguish  primarily? 

We  must  discriminate  between  the  efficacy  and 
its  effects,  or  fruits.  By  the  efficacy  of  the  Mass 
is  meant  its  aptitude  or  capability  to  produce  cer- 
tain results.  By  its  effects  or  fruits  we  mean  the 
results  actually  obtained. 

How  must  we  distinguish  secondarily? 

We  must  distinguish,  to  use  technical  phrases 
familiar  to  theologians,  between  an  efficacy  ex 
opere  operato  and  an  efficacy  ex  opere  operantis. 

Hoiv  can  these  phrases  be  explained  by  a 
reference  to  any  of  the  Sacraments? 

We  can  illustrate,  for  instance,  by  the  Blessed 
Eucharist.  The  fruit  obtainable  by  the  recipient 
falls  under  one  or  other  of  two  heads.  There  is 
first,  the  efficacy  of  his  personal  acts  of  piety  and 
devotion — their  three-fold  efficacy  of  impetration, 
of  merit,  and  of  satisfaction.  There  is  secondly, 
over  and  above  all  this,  the  efficacy  of  the  sacra- 
ment, as  a  sacrament,  for  the  infusion  of  grace, 
both  sanctifying  and  sacramental,  into  the  soul. 
However  much  the  acts  and  dispositions  of  the 
recipient  conduce  to  the  greater  efficacy  and  the 
freer  working  of  the  sacrament,  and  even  al- 
though, in  certain  cases,  specific  acts  and  disposi- 
tions are  absolutely  essential  to  its  operation,  to 
the  extent,  that  in  their  absence  the  sacrament  is 


The  Efficacy  of  the  Mass  169 

inoperative,  it  is  no  less  true,  and  it  is  of  Catholic 
teaching  and  faith,  that  the  sacrament,  as  a  sacra- 
ment, has  an  efficacy  all  its  own — an  efficacy 
which  indeed  requires  for  its  operation  the 
presence  of  those  acts  and  dispositions,  but  which 
produces,  with  the  concurrence  of  these,  an  effect 
altogether  in  excess  of  that  which  they  could  in 
any  case  or  sense  have  obtained  of  themselves. 

Of  the  two  sources  of  efficacy  thus  dis- 
tinguished, the  former  is  technically  known  as 
proceeding  ex  opere  operantis,  or  from  the 
co-operation  of  the  recipient,  and  the  latter,  ex 
opere  operato,  or  from  an  innate  and  intrinsic 
energy  of  the  sacrament,  with  which  Christ  has 
endowed  it. 

Coincidentally  with  above  observation,  it  is  per- 
tinent to  note  that  the  increase  of  spiritual  fruit, 
received  by  those  who  approach  the  sacraments 
with  more  perfect  dispositions,  comes  not  merely 
from  this  more  faultless  co-operation,  ex  opere 
operantis,  but  also  from  the  sacrament,  as  a 
sacrament,  ex  opere  operato.  "From  the  same 
flame,"  says  St.  Thomas  (3,  quest.  69,  art.  8 )  "he 
receives  most  heat  who  approaches  nearest  to  it." 

How  does  this  secondary  distinction  apply 
to  the  Mass? 

(1 )  The  efficacy  of  Impetration  or  Petition  for 
favors: 


170  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

(a)  The  resultant  efficacy  of  the  Mass  as  a  good 
work,  performed  and  shared  by  priest  and  people, 
is  "ex  opere  operantis." 

(6)  As  offered  by  Our  Lord,  or  by  the  priest  as 
His  minister,  it  is  "ex  opere  operato." 

(c)  As  offered  by  the  Universal  Church,  or  by 
the  priest  as  her  representative,  its  efficacy  is  "ex 
opere  operato"  with  respect  to  the  priest,  being 
in  no-wise  dependent  on  his  worthiness,  and  "ex 
opere  operantis"  or  an  efficacy  partially  de- 
pendent on  the  more  or  less  perfect  co-operation 
of  the  members  of  the  Church. 

(2)  The  efficacy  of  Propitiation  or  Sin-offering: 

(a)  When  considered  in  the  light  of  a  good 
work,  performed  by  those  who  individually  take  a 
personal  part  in  its  offering,  the  efficacy  of  the 
Mass  is  "ex  opere  operantis" 

(b)  When  offered  by  Christ,  or  the  priest  as  His 
representative,  it  is  ex  opere  operato. 

(c)  When  offered  by  the  Universal  Church,  it  is 
exclusively  an  efficacy  of  Impetration  and  follows 
the  solution  of  the  preceding  section  under  (c). 

Is  the  Mass  a  Sacrifice  oj  Infinite  Efficacy? 
An  Infinite  Efficacy  implies  two  things: 

(a)  An  infinite  or  unlimited  effect. 

(b)  An  infinite  or  unlimited  power  of  attaining 
it.  In  itself  and  without  reference  to  actual 
effects,  the  Mass  possesses  this  infinite  power.    An 


The  Efficacy  of  the  Mass  171 

infinite  effect  in  the  strict  sense  of  the  term  as 
applicable  to  us  is  an  impossibility. 

Theologians,  however,  interpret  the  term  "in- 
finite" as  conveying  two  senses: 

(a)  Its  strict  sense  (categorematice  infinitus) 
in  which  it  implies  the  absolute  absence  of  all 
limitation,  and  in  which,  for  instance,  God  is  said 
to  be  infinite,  or  His  eternity;  and, 

(b)  Its  less  strict  sense  (syncategorematice 
infinitus)  in  which  it  means  merely  indefinitely 
great,  that  is  to  say,  finite,  but  greater  than  any 
other  finite  effect  nameable  or  conceivable,  or  an 
efficacy  to  the  operation  of  which  no  limit  can  be 
assigned,  in  the  sense  that  whatever  finite  effect, 
however  great,  may  be  named  or  conceived,  effects 
still  greater  and  greater  may  be  produced  without 
limit. 

The  competency  of  numbers  to  express  magni- 
tude furnishes  an  illustration.  Whilst  it  is  im- 
possible for  numbers  to  express  a  sum  total  strictly 
infinite,  they  may  represent  an  aggregate  in- 
definitely great,  in  the  sense  that  no  matter  how 
vast  the  sum  named  or  conceived,  a  progressively 
larger  sum  is  conceivable.  The  measure  there- 
fore of  the  efficacy  of  the  Mass  is  always  in  this 
second  or  less  strict  sense  of  the  term. 

Hoiv  does  this  explanation  of  an  Infinite 
Efficacy  apply  to  the  Mass? 

(1)  The  efficacy  of  the  Mass  in  itself ,  or  in  actu 


172  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

primo,  is  intensively  and  extensively  indefinite. 
The  sacrifice  of  the  Mass  possesses  the  same 
efficacy  as  the  sacrifice  of  the  Cross,  and  as  that 
was  inexhaustible,  so  is  this.  Independent  of  the 
number  of  persons  to  whom  applied,  its  potency 
is  always  full  and  overflowing. 

( 2 )  The  efficacy  of  the  Mass  in  actu  secundo, 
or  by  the  will  of  Christ,  is  extensively  indefinite 
in  respect  to  special  fruits,  for  those  who  offer 
and  who  assist  at  the  Mass,  if  no  hindrance  is  pre- 
sented to  these  fruits.  To  share  in  this  efficacy, 
no  other  condition  is  required  than  the  offering 
and  assisting  at  the  Mass  with  a  pure  heart. 
Whether  one  or  many,  the  fruits  of  the  Mass  are 
applicable  to  all,  according  to  the  measure  of  their 
capacity. 

(3)  The  fruits  of  the  Mass  designated  as 
ministerial,  which  those  receive  for  whom  the 
Mass  is  offered,  are  finite.  The  limitations  affixed 
to  them  are  two-fold  and  arise  from  the  number 
and  the  capacity  of  those  for  whom  the  Mass  is 
offered. 

Is  the  Mass  of  Infinite  Efficacy  when  offered 
by  the  Church? 

As  offered  by  the  Church  the  efficacy  of  the 
Mass  is  only  finite.  The  Victim  offered  is,  indeed, 
infinite,  but  according  to  the  dictum  of  De  Lugo, 
the  value  of  the  sacrifice  is  measured  rather  by 
the  one  who  offers,  than  by  the  Victim  offered. 


The  Efficacy  of  the  Mass  173 

Suarez  thus  approves:  (De  Eucharistia,  Disp. 
79,  Sect.  XI,  n.  6)  "This  efficacy  is  based  on  the 
sanctity  of  the  Church,  to  which  God  inclining,  as 
that  of  a  Spouse  most  pleasing,  accepts  the  sacri- 
fice offered  in  her  name  and  grants  the  petitions 
asked.  The  sanctity  of  the  Church  is,  however, 
finite,  and,  therefore,  the  efficacy  of  the  sacrifice 
offered  in  her  name  is  commensurate."  Besides, 
it  is  incumbent  to  remember  that  the  efficacy  of 
the  Mass  as  offered  by  the  Church  is  an  efficacy 
of  Impetration. 

Is  the  Efficacy  of  the  Mass  under  this  aspect 
Variable  or  Invariable? 

The  almost  unanimous  opinion  of  the  greatest 
theologians  favors  the  view,  that  the  efficacy  is 
variable  in  the  sense,  that  it  may  augment  or 
diminish  with  the  greater  or  less  degree  of  sanctity 
among  the  members  of  the  Church.  A  few 
theologians  hold  to  the  theory  of  an  invariable 
efficacy,  not  because  it  is  altogether  independent 
of  the  personal  holiness  of  individual  Catholics, 
but  because  the  Church  here  comprises  all  her 
members,  past,  present  and  future  for  all  time. 

When  offered  by  the  Priest  is  the  Efficacy  oj 
the  Mass  Infinite  or  Finite? 

When  offered  by  the  priest  as  an  individual, 
and  by  those  who  individually  share  with  him  in 
the  offering,  its  efficacy  is  finite. 


174  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

When  offered  by  Christ  is  the  Efficacy  of  the 
Mass  Infinite? 

It  is  infinite  in  the  strict  sense  as  a  sacrifice 
of  Adoration  and  Thanks-offering. 

Theologians  are  so  absorbed  in  the  practical  effects 
of  the  Mass  bearing  on  Impetration  and  Propitiation 
that  they  have  left  its  value  for  worship  and  thanks- 
giving unexplored.  An  "infinite  efficacy"  is  defined 
in  a  strict  and  a  less  strict  sense,  as  already  explained 
(p.  171)  and  the  statement  is  made  that  "an  efficacy 
capable  of  producing  an  effect  strictly  speaking  infi- 
nite is  an  obvious  impossiblity."  Is  not  the  exercise 
of  the  power  of  the  priest  in  consecrating  a  refuta- 
tion of  this  opinion?  An  infinite  God  at  his  sum- 
mons takes  up  His  residence  under  the  veil  of  bread 
and  wine  by  the  miracle  of  Transubstantiation. 

It  adds  to  the  difficulty  of  interpreting  the  ver- 
dict of  the  theologians  that  they  do  not  always 
distinguish  infinitude,  nor  reveal  in  what  sense  it 
is  employed.  The  theologians  of  Salamanca  held 
to  the  theory  of  an  infinite  efficacy  apparently 
in  its  strict  sense.  Holding  in  abeyance  the  in  ac- 
tu  primo  et  secundo  aspects  of  the  case,  and  the 
limitations  affixed  to  this  efficacy  by  human  in- 
capacity, there  appears  to  be  nothing  unreasonable 
in  the  assertion  that  when  the  Mass  is  offered  by 
Christ,  through  the  ministry  of  His  priest,  in 
worship  and  thanksgiving  to  God  the  Father,  the 
efficacy  is  infinite  in  its  strict  sense.  Neither  the 
God — Man  who  offers,  nor  the  God  who  accepts 
the  offering  can  be  said  to  limit  this  infinite  efficacy. 


CHAPTER  XL 

SACRIFICE  OF  IMPETRATION  FOR  FAVORS  SPIRITUAL 

AND  TEMPORAL. 


MEASURE     OF     ITS     EFFICACY. 


Is  its  Efficacy  Infinite  as  a  Sacrifice  of 
Impetration  under  this  asvect? 

It  is  infinite  in  the  modified  acceptance  of  the 
term  when  offered  by  Christ,  or  the  priest  as  His 
representative.  The  Impetratory  efficacy  of  the 
Mass  is  its  efficacy  in  aid  of  some  prayer  or  peti- 
tion offered  jointly  with  it. 

The  axiom  of  Suarez:  "Whatever  is  attainable 
by  prayer  may  be  obtained  by  this  sacrifice;  it 
can  be  offered  the  same  as  any  just  prayer  may 
be  heard,  to  which  it  gives  the  power  of  being 
efficacious"  illumines  this  phase  of  the  sacrifice. 
Its  limit  is,  therefore,  the  limit  of  Impetratory 
prayer.  Although  it  is  unlimited  as  regards  the 
purposes  within  the  range  of  Impetratory  prayer, 
its  efficacy  for  the  actual  benefits  prayed  for  will 
be  greater  or  less  according  to  the  inherent  efficacy 
of  the  prayer,  in  support  of  which  it  is  offered. 

As  an  Impetratory  Sacrifice  is  its  Efficacy 
limited  by  the  number  of  persons  for  whom 
offered? 


176  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

The  question  touches  what  theologians  term 
the  extensive  infinitude  of  the  Mass  and  in- 
cludes a  decision  as  to  whether  its  efficacy  is 
independent  of  the  number  of  persons  for  whom 
the  Mass  is  offered,  so  that,  if  offered  for  two  or 
more,  it  will  be  as  efficacious  as  if  offered  for  one. 
The  answer  seems  to  be  in  the  negative,  because 
theology  teaches  that  the  efficacy  of  prayer  is 
ordinarily  less  when  offered  for  a  more  valuable 
than  for  a  less  valuable  favor,  and  less  when 
offered  for  the  benefit  of  a  number  of  persons 
than  when  offered  for  one.  Scotus,  as  quoted  by 
Suarez,  explains  this  conclusion  by  the  following 
reason:  "Prayer  to  be  efficacious  must  observe  a 
proportion  with  the  favor  sought,  for  the  same 
prayer,  caeteris  paribus,  cannot  with  equal 
facility  obtain  the  difficult  and  the  easy,  the 
greater  and  the  less  benefit;  nor  for  the  same 
reason  is  it  equally  potent  when  offered  for  one 
or  many,  because  the  proper  proportion  is  dis- 
arranged." 

Commenting  on  this  explanation,  Suarez  ob- 
serves this  can  happen  in  two  ways: 

(a)  "On  the  part  of  the  persons,  when  prayer  is 
made  for  Peter,  or  for  a  group  to  which  Peter 
belongs." 

(b)  "On  the  part  of  the  things  prayed  for, 
when  we  pray  for  humility  in  particular,  or  virtue 
which  contains  humility." 


Sacrifice  of  Impetration  177 

Does  this  imply  that  the  Mass  as  an  Impe- 
tratory  Sacrifice  is  limited  in  its  effects? 

The  practical  limitation  determined  by  Scotus 
and  Suarez  arises  not  from  any  shortcoming  of 
the  efficacy  of  the  Mass  as  a  sacrifice  of  Impetra- 
tion, but  from  the  restricted  potency  of  the 
prayer  in  sustainment  of  which  it  is  offered. 

7s  there  any  way  whereby  this  Limitation 
may  be  removed? 

If  there  is,  then  a  Mass  may  be  as  efficacious 
for  Impetration  when  offered  for  many  benefits 
or  persons,  as  when  offered  for  one  benefit  or 
person.  Suarez  solves  the  difficulty  and  removes 
the  limited  efficacy  by  the  suggestion,  that  if  in- 
stead of  one  general  prayer,  a  number  of  distinct 
special  prayers  be  said,  each  being  offered  for 
some  one  special  favor,  or  some  one  of  the  per- 
sons for  whom  we  wish  to  pray.  By  this  ar- 
rangement, each  prayer  thus  offered  will  have  the 
same  efficacy  as  if  it  stood  alone. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

SACRIFICE  OF  PROPITIATION   OR  SIN-OFFERING. 


MEASURE  OF   ITS   EFFICACY. 


Is  the  Efficacy  qf  the  Mass  as  a  Sacrifice  of 
Propitiation  Infinite  in  the  restricted  sense  or 
Finite? 

The  question  includes  these  two  results  of  the 
sacrifice: 

(a)  An  intensive  (intensive)  efficacy,  in  the 
sense  that  a  person  for  whom  it  is  offered  may, 
by  its  application,  obtain  the  remission  of  the 
entire  debt  of  temporal  punishment  due  for  his 
forgiven  sins; 

(6)  An  extensive  (extensive)  efficacy,  which 
signifies  that  when  offered  for  more  persons  than 
one,  each  will  receive  from  it  the  same  benefit  as 
if  it  were  offered  for  him  alone. 

In  reply  to  the  question  there  are  two  opinions. 

The  first  is  to  the  effect  that  the  propitiatory 
effect  of  the  Mass  is  in  both  respects  infinite  or 
unlimited,  so  that  it  is  not  only 

(a)  Available  for  the  full  remission  of  any 
debt,  however  great,  of  temporal  punishment  due 
by  the  person  for  whom  it  is  offered,  but  that  it  is 
also 


Sacrifice  of  Propitiation  179 

(b)  Equally  effective  to  the  same  full  extent 
for  any  number  of  persons,  for  whom  it  may  be 
offered.  This  opinion  is  held  by  St.  Alphonsus 
de  Liguori  and  called  by  him  speculatively 
or  theoretically  more  probable.  He  attributes 
the  same  opinion  to  Suarez  erroneously,  for 
whilst  this  Spanish  theologian  may  be  in  accord 
with  him  on  the  question  of  the  efficacy 
of  the  Mass  as  a  sacrifice  of  Impetration,  he  is  at 
variance  with  him  in  his  estimate  of  the  potency 
of  the  Mass  as  a  sacrifice  of  Propitiation,  and  it  is 
under  this  aspect  that  it  is  here  considered. 

The  second  opinion  is,  that  its  efficacy  for  both 
results  is  finite  or  limited,  so  that 

(a)  If  offered  for  only  one  person,  it  is  potent 
only  for  the  remission  of  a  certain  definite 
amount  of  temporal  punishment; 

(b)  If  offered  for  two  or  more,  the  benefit  de- 
rivable for  each  is  proportionately  diminished, 
inasmuch  as  it  is  divided  between  those  for  whom 
the  Mass  is  offered. 

What  is  the  relative  standing  of  these  two 
opinions  now? 

The  second,  affirming  a  finite  value  is  the 
generally  accepted  opinion.  The  first,  advocating 
an  unlimited  satisfactory  efficacy  has  found  com- 
paratively scant  recognition  from  theologians. 
Vasquez,   its  chief  advocate,  claimed  for  it  the 


180  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

authority  of  St.  Thomas,  but  his  claim  is  dis- 
credited by  his  own  admission  that  St.  Thomas' 
meaning  is  not  clear. 

Hoiv  does  this  theory  of  a  Finite  value 
harmonize  with  a  Victim  oj  Infinite  Worth,  or 
a  Great  High  Priest  of  Infinite  Dignity? 

No  theologian  thinks  of  questioning  that  the 
Mass  is,  on  those  grounds,  a  sacrifice  to  which  an 
infinite  or  unlimited  efficacy  might  have  been 
annexed  by  Our  Lord,  if  He  had  deemed  it  ex- 
pedient to  do  so. 

The  question  at  issue  is  not  the  possible  efficacy 
of  the  Mass,  but  its  actual  efficacy,  or,  to  use  the 
technical  language  of  the  schools,  it  does  not 
regard  the  sacrifice  "according  to  its  primary  and 
remote,  but  according  to  its  proximate  potency," 
as  Layman  expresses  it,  "which  it  has  from  the 
institution  and  will  of  Christ."  The  question  is, 
therefore,  one  of  fact,  which  of  the  two  opinions 
represents  the  efficacy  actually  annexed  to  this 
sacrifice  by  Our  Lord. 

How  then  is  this  question  of  Fact  to  be  de- 
cided? 

It  is  obviously  not  to  be  determined  by  a  priori 
considerations  of  any  kind.  Neither  the  Scriptures, 
nor  the  writings  of  the  Fathers  help  on  the 
solution  of  it.  Our  only  guide  is  the  sense  of  the 
Church,  not  as  indicated  by  any  formal  decrees  or 


Sacrifice  of  Propitiation  LSI 

definitions,  but  as  reflected  in  her  actual  practice 
or  usage,  ascertained  by  the  mode  in  which  the 
sacrifice  is  offered  by  her  priests,  and  which,  if  not 
prescribed  by  her,  has  at  least  received  the  full 
sanction  of  her  authority. 

What  is  the  trend  of  this  usage  as  bearing 
on  the  question  at  issue? 

(a)  There  exists  the  practice  throughout  the 
universal  Church  of  offering  the  Mass  for  indivi- 
duals. If  its  efficacy  is  extensively  unlimited, 
why  limit  it  to  one,  when  it  is  equally  applicable 
to  many?  In  the  Missal,  Masses  are  appointed 
for  individuals,  and  prayers  are  designated  for 
individual  persons.  This  restriction  is  clearly 
unnecessary  and  unjustly  privative,  if  the  Mass 
is  equally  potent  for  all  the  faithful,  as  for  one. 

(b)  According  to  the  current  and  accepted 
teaching,  the  intention  of  the  sacrificing  priest 
determines  the  application  of  the  fruit  of  the 
Mass — to  one,  or  to  many.  The  quality  of  that 
intention  and  its  power  to  restrict  and  direct  the 
efficacy  of  the  Mass  are  matters  of  general  accept- 
ance and  knowledge.  If  the  theory  of  an  unlimited 
efficacy  for  all  remembered  in  the  Mass  is  tenable, 
then  it  is  incredible  that  Christ,  or  the  Church  would 
have  left  it  to  the  will  of  the  priest  to  determine 
whether  its  fruits  would  be  applicable  to  one  or 
many.  It  is  equally  inexplicable  if  Christ  intended 
to  make  the  Mass  efficacious  for  all,  independent 


182  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

of  the  priest's  intention,  that  such  an  inherent 
quality  would  be  so  long  unknown  to  the  Church 
and  passing  strange,  that  if  known,  it  was  not 
exercised. 

Cardinal  Franzelin  (p.  372,  Ed.  1879)  thus 
argues  on  this  point:  "The  opinion  which  main- 
tains that  the  whole  fruit  of  the  Mass  is  the  same 
for  one  or  many,  I  cannot  reconcile  with  the  cer- 
tain doctrine  which  enjoins,  that  the  priest,  who 
accepts  a  stipend  for  a  Mass  to  be  offered  for  a 
particular  person,  sins  not  only  against  a  precept 
of  the  Church,  but  also  against  justice,  if  he  offered 
it  for  this  individual  and  for  many  others.  How, 
I  ask,  does  he  violate  justice?  Nevertheless,  it  is 
certain  from  the  condemnation  of  Proposition  Ten, 
by  Alexander  VII,  and  likewise  from  the  decrees 
of  the  Sacred  Congregation,  that  those  priests  err 
against  justice  and  are  bound  to  restitution  who 
make  pretence  of  satisfying  many  stipends  by  a 
solitary  Mass." 

(c)  An  additional  reason  is  thus  presented  by 
De  Lugo  (De  Eucharistia,  Disp.  19,  Sect.  XII,  n. 
251): 

"The  Mass  has  only  the  efficacy  of  cancelling 
the  debt  of  sin  in  the  measure  of  the  appointment 
of  Christ,  in  so  far  as  it  has  annexed  to  it  the 
expiatory  merits  of  His  death.  This  association 
of  His  merits  is,  however,  conformable  to  a  limited 
efficacy,  because  Christ  wished  that  the  Mass  be 
of  frequent  celebration.     If,  despite  this,  the  Mass 


Sacrifice  of  Propitiation  183 

possess  an  infinite  value,  one  sacrifice  would 
suffice  for  all  the  dead  and  living  and,  by  conse- 
quence, all  these  pious  foundations  for  many 
Masses,  which  the  faithful  appoint  for  the  ease- 
ment of  their  souls,  are  superfluous  and  needlessly 
made." 

Hoiv  does  this  Propitiatory  Effect  of  the 
Mass  bear  on  the  Guilt  of  Sin? 

In  the  explanation  already  given,  the  issue 
involves  only  the  Propitiatory  effect  of  the  Mass 
in  its  bearing  on  the  remission  of  the  temporal 
punishment.  The  reasoning  employed  therein  is 
also  pertinent  to  the  question  of  its  efficacy  in 
forgiving  the  guilt  of  sin. 

De  Lugo  thus  illumines  this  conclusion: 

"Wherefore,  I  infer  that  when  the  Mass  is 
offered  for  many,  as  the  effect  of  the  remission  of 
temporal  punishment  is  divided  among  them  all,  so 
that  all  receive  together  what  one  alone  would 
have  received  if  said  for  him  alone,  so  also  this 
other  expiatory  effect,  which  belongs  to  the 
sacrifice  is  divided  among  all  in  such  fashion,  that 
in  respect  to  each,  God  is  less  pleased  than  if  the 
Mass  were  offered  for  one  alone." 

7s  there  any  limitation  to  this  Propitiatory 
effect  of  the  Mass? 

In  the  opinion  most  generally  adopted  by  theo- 
logians, the  propitiatory  efficacy  of  the  Mass  is  to 
be  regarded  as  limited,  even  with  the  co-operation 


184  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

of  the  most  perfect  dispositions.  Supplementary 
to  this,  it  is  also  a  tenet  of  quite  unanimous  teach- 
ing that  the  fruit  of  propitiation  to  be  actually 
obtained  from  the  offering  of  the  Mass  depends, 
within  certain  limits,  upon  the  dispositions  of  the 
person  for  whom  the  sacrifice  is  offered.  Suarez 
rejects  the  opinion,  and  Vazquez  regards  this  as  the 
only  limitation  to  the  propitiatory  efficacy  of  the 
Mass.  It  is  upheld,  however,  by  the  concurrent 
authority  of  De  Lugo,  Vasquez,  Dicastillo  and 
many  other  theologians. 

De  Lugo  makes  this  comment: 

"Although  Christ  did  not  will  to  give  the  Mass 
an  infinite  efficacy,  it  was  befitting  that  He  make 
it  productive  of  a  finite  effect,  determinable  by 
the  dispositions  of  the  persons  for  whom  offered." 

Confirmatory  is  this  opinion  of  St.  Thomas: 

"Although  the  Mass  by  its  efficacy  suffices  to 
satisfy  for  all  penalty,  it  is  nevertheless  satisfac- 
tory for  those  for  whom  it  is  offered  according  to 
the  measure  of  their  devotion,  and  not  for  all  the 
penalty." 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE   INFALLIBILITY  OR   CERTAINTY  OF  THE 
FRUITS  OF  THE   MASS. 

Is  the  Efficacy  of  the  Mass  Infallible? 

As  in  discussing  the  measure  of  this  efficiency 
we  had  to  distinguish  the  Mass  under  the  double 
aspect  of  Impetration  and  Propitiation,  so  now  in 
guaging  its  certainty  of  attaining  definite  results 
we  must  make  the  same  distinction. 

7s  this  Efficacy  Infallible  as  a  Sacrifice  of 
Impetration? 

The  test  of  practical  experience  and  the  con- 
current teaching  of  the  theologians  affirm,  that 
the  efficacy  of  the  Mass  as  a  sacrifice  of  Impetra- 
tion is  not  infallible.  The  terms  of  its  efficacy  in 
this  respect  are  that  it  sustains  and  reinforces  the 
impetratory  effect  of  the  prayer,  in  connection 
with  which  it  is  offered.  Through  the  impetra- 
tory efficacy  of  the  Mass  we  may  hope  to  receive 
benefits,  whether  temporal  or  spiritual,  for  which 
mere  unaided  prayer  would  be  altogether  in- 
sufficient. There  is  no  conclusive  evidence  to 
demonstrate  that  the  efficacy  of  the  Mass  thus 
co-operating  with  prayer  is  infallible.  Indeed,  as 
an  obvious  conclusion,  theologians  contend  that  to 


186  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

annex  such  an  efficacy  to  the  Mass  would  be  for 
many  reasons  inconsistent  with  the  ordinary 
sequence  and  operations  of  God's  providence. 

Must  not  this  conclusion  be  qualified  by  the 
character  of  the  favors  asked? 

The  nature  of  the  benefits  prayed  for  does  not 
alter  this  verdict,  Take,  for  instance,  the  case 
where  the  grace  of  a  sinner's  conversion  is  be- 
sought. This  would  be  a  form  of  petition  wherein 
the  efficacy  of  prayer  and  the  Impetratory  efficacy 
of  the  Mass  would  be  regarded  as  least  subject  to 
restriction.  The  fact  is  of  facile  and  frequent 
proof  that  this  sort  of  petition  often  goes  unheard. 
De  Lugo's  reasoning  is  thus  expressed: 
"As  the  petition  of  prayer  is  impeded  by  many 
hindrances,  one  of  which  is  the  order  and  de- 
mands of  God's  providence  so  also  the  Impetra- 
tory effect  of  the  Mass.  Without  doubt,  it  is  not 
expedient  that  the  response,  as  if  by  an  efficacious 
aid  would  be  infallible,  because  a  notable  securitv 
and  license  of  sinning  would  thereby  be  accorded 
to  men,  who  would  expect  an  efficacious  aid  to 
justification  through  the  assured  infallible  help  of 
the  Mass." 

Is  not  this  conclusion  inconsistent  with  the 
Efficacy  oj  the  Mass  as  offered  by  Christ? 

When  the  Mass  is  referred  to  as  offered  bv 
Christ,  the  purport  of  this  statement  is,  that  it  is 
not  only  offered  by  the  priest  as  His  representa- 


The  Fruits  of  the  Mass  187 

tive,  but  also  by  Christ  Himself  by  a  personal  act 
of  offering.  Even  this  view  of  it  does  not  neces- 
sitate its  infallible  efficacy  as  a  sacrifice  of  Impe- 
tration.  For,  as  Suarez  explains,  it  is  only  those 
prayers  of  our  Lord  which  proceed  from  an 
absolute  or  efficacious  desire  of  His  will  that  are 
infallible  in  attaining  their  object.  There  is  no 
reason  to  suppose  that  the  power  entrusted  to  the 
priest,  as  His  representative,  of  offering  the  sacri- 
fice in  Impetration  for  every  legitimate  object  of 
prayer  carries  with  it  the  control,  if  the  expres- 
sion is  permissible,  of  our  Lord's  absolute  or  effica- 
cious will.     On  the  contrary,  as  Suarez  expresses 

it: 

"This  effect  does  not  follow  from  the  nature  of 
the  sacrifice,  nor  is  it  always  expedient." 

Is  there  then  no  sense  in  which  the  Efficacy 
of  the  Mass  of  Impetration  is  Infallible'? 

According  to  the  common  opinion  of  theo- 
logians there  is  a  sense  in  which  its  efficacy  is  in- 
fallible. Thus  Cardinal  Bona  (De  Sacrificio 
Missae,  chap.  I,  sect.  3)  teaches: 

"It  is  certain  that  the  Mass  is  not  devoid  of  this 
effect  of  Impetration,  because  although  God  may 
not  vouchsafe  the  precise  favor  asked,  He  does 
grant  some  other  favor  which  in  the  supplicant's 
condition,  He  knows  to  be  more  expedient." 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE   INFALLIBILITY  OF  THE  FRUITS  OF  THE  MASS 


THE  SACRIFICE  OF   PROPITIATION. 

Under  how  many  aspects  may  this  Efficacy 
of  Propitiation  be  considered? 

Two.     It  may  be  considered 
(a)  In  reference  to  the  guilt  of  sin,  and 
(6)  In  reference  to  the  remission  of  the  tem- 
poral punishment. 

What  is  the  nature  of  this  Etficacy  for  the 

remission  of  the  Guilt  of  Sin? 

The  efficacy  of  the  Mass  for  the  remission  of 
the  guilt  of  sin  is  two-fold: 

(a)  Its  efficacy  in  obtaining  those  graces  by 
the  aid  of  which  the  sinner  may  perform  the  acts 
of  repentance  necessary  for  the  forgiveness  of 
his  sin;  and 

(b)  Its  efficacy  in  appeasing  God,  and  thus 
removing  an  obstacle  that  should  otherwise  im- 
pede the  operation  of  the  sacrifice  as  offered  to 
obtain  by  Impetration  the  graces  leading  to 
repentance. 


The  Fruits  of  the  Mass  189 

Is  the  Efficacy  of  the  Mass  as  a  Propitiatory 
Sacrifice  infallible  far  the  Remission  of  the 
Guilt  of  Sin? 

In  the  sense  that  it  infallibly  secures  the  actual 
forgiveness  of  mortal  or  venial  sin  its  efficacy  is 
not  infallible. 

7s  the  Efficacy  of  the  Mass  of  Propitiation 
infallible  in  obtaining  the  Grace  of  Repentance? 

This  efficacy  is  that  of  Impetration  and  is  not 
infallible.  Whilst  not  infallible,  it  is,  however, 
more  surely  efficacious  for  the  forgiveness  of 
venial  sin  than  for  the  forgiveness  of  mortal  sin; 
it  is  also  more  efficacious  when  offered  by  the 
priest  in  his  own  behalf  than  when  offered  for 
another.     This  is  the  common  law  of  Impetration. 

Is  the  Efficacy  of  the  Mass  of  Propitiation 
infallible  in  appeasing  God's  anger  with  the 

sinner? 

This  form  of  Propitiatory  efficacy,  which  De 
Lugo  assigns  as  the  special  efficacy  of  Propitiation 
for  the  guilt  of  sin,  may  be  dealt  with  as  in  all 
respects  similar  to  the  Propitiatory  efficacy  of  the 
Mass  for  the  remission  of  temporal  punishment, 
and  its  solution  will  be  recorded  in  the  questions 
and  answers  immediately  following. 

7s  the  Efficacy  of  the  Mass  infallible  for  the 
remission  of  the  Temporal  Punishment  due  for 
far  given  sins? 


190  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

De  Lugo's  answer  is: 

"All  the  theologians  teach  that  it  is  infallible,  if 
there  is  no  hindrance  to  it  on  the  part  of  the  one 
for  whom  the  Mass  is  offered.  Therefore,  it  is  in- 
dubitable that  this  effect  is  infallible  with  respect 
to  the  living.  It  is  also  infallible  for  the  dead, 
since  the  power  of  Christ,  who  instituted  the 
sacrifice,  includes  both." 

What  is  implied  in  the  Limitation,  ''If  there 
is  no  hindrance  to  it  on  the  part  of  the  one  for 
ivhom  the  Mass  is  offered"? 

Suarez  exhaustively  discusses  this  question  and 
his  conclusions  may  be  thus  summarized: 

(a)  The  Mass  is  thus  efficacious  only  as  regards 
the  baptized. 

(b)  This  efficacy  is  available  for  the  souls  in 
Purgatory,  no  less  than  for  the  living. 

(c)  The  state  of  sanctifying  grace  is  an  es- 
sential requisite. 

(d)  No  other  disposition  or  condition  is  re- 
quired. 

(e)  While  any  venial  sin  is  as  yet  unforgiven, 
the  remission  of  the  temporal  punishment  due  for 
this  sin  cannot  be  obtained. 

What  is  meant  by  "no  other  disposition"  is 
required? 

It  means,  that  provided  the  person  for  whom 
the  Mass  is  offered  is  in  a  state  of  grace,  he  will 


The  Fruits  of  the  Mass  191 

surely  share  this  effiacy  in  the  absence  of  any 
actual  devotion,  or  good  affection,  or  special  co- 
operation. He  does  not  need  to  know  the  Mass  is 
offered  for  him,  and  even  if  he  is  asleep  when  the 
effect  is  applied,  he  will  receive  it. 

What  is  the  significancy  of  limiting  this 
Efficacy  by  an  unfor given  Venial  Sin? 

It  means  that  the  effect  applies  to  the  remission 
of  the  punishment  for  all  the  other  forgiven  sins, 
but  is  not  available  for  the  consequences  of  this 
particular  sin.  Therefore,  an  absence  of  all  venial 
sin  is  not  an  essential  condition,  for  even  a  person 
who  is  actually  committing  a  venial  sin  may  par- 
take of  this  efficacy  for  his  other  forgiven  sins, 
because  he  is  presenting  no  obstacle  through  it  to 
the  penalties  incurred  by  these  forgiven  sins.  The 
temporal  punishment,  however,  of  the  existing 
venial  fault  cannot  be  cancelled  until  the  sin  itself 
is  forgiven. 

Is  there  any  other  limit  to  this  Efficacy  of  a 
Propitiatory  Sacrifice? 

There  is  a  limit  fixed  by  the  disposition  of  the 
person  for  whom  the  Mass  is  offered,  so  that  the 
effect  produced  may  be  proportionate  to  the  more 
or  less  perfect  co-operation.  The  opinion  of  St. 
Thomas,  that  although  "the  efficacy  of  the  Mass 
in  itself  is  all  sufficient  for  the  ransom  of  all 
punishment,  in  its  actual  result  it  is  both  for  those 
who  offer  it,  and  those  for  whom  it  is  offered  re- 


192  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

stricted  to  the  measure  of  their  devotion," 
determines  the  norma  of  this  conclusion.  The 
more  common  verdict  of  the  theologians  is  in  ac- 
cordance with  what  seems  to  be  the  plain  meaning 
of  these  words  of  the  Angelic  Doctor.  Thus  De 
Lugo  describes  this  effect,  "as  finite  and  de- 
termined by  the  disposition  of  him  for  whom  the 
Mass  is  offered."  Some  few  theologians,  however, 
of  high  authority  declare  that  the  effect  is 
independent  of  all  question  of  co-operation  or 
dispositions,  and,  adopting  their  view,  Suarez  in- 
terprets the  restrictive  judgment  of  St.  Thomas 
as  applicable,  not  to  those  for  whom  the  Mass  is 
offered,  but  to  those  who  take  part  in  its  offering. 
This  interpretation  seems,  however,  to  be  ir- 
relevant and  contradictory  to  the  words  of  St. 
Thomas. 

Is  this  Efficacy  for  the  Remission  of  Temporal 
Punishment  the  same  as  for  the  Avpeasing  of 
God's  Anger? 

De  Lugo  declares  the  efficacy  is  similar  in  both 
instances.  This  efficacy  is  to  be  regarded  on  the 
one  hand  as  limited,  and  on  the  other,  as  within 
those  limits,  infallible.  "I  have  said,"  says  De 
Lugo,  "that  this  effect  follows  infallibly  after  the 
manner  and  according  to  the  measure  of  a  Divine 
appointment." 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE  FRUITS  OF  THE   MASS  AND  ITS  APPLICATION. 

To  simplify,  as  far  as  we  can,  a  complicated 
subject,  it  must  be  dealt  with  under  three  divi- 
sions: 

(a)  Mass  as  offered  by  our  Lord,  or  by  the 
priest  as  His  minister. 

{b)  By  the  Church,  or  by  the  priest  as  her 
representative. 

(c)  By  the  priest  as  an  individual,  and  by  all 
those  who  by  any  personal  act  take  part  in  the 
offering. 

§  1.   THE  FRUIT  OF  THE  MASS  AS  OFFERED  BY 

OUR  LORD. 

What  is  the  name  and  nature  of  this  fruit? 

It  is  called  the  Fructus  Specialis,  or  Medius — 
the  special  or  middle  fruit — middle,  because  it 
stands  mid-way,  as  it  were,  between  the  priest's 
very  special  (specialissimus)  fruit  received  by 
himself,  and  the  very  general  (generalissimus) 
which  is  divided  among  the  faithful  generally. 

This  fruit  is  both  Propiatory  for  sin  and  its 
punishment,  and  Impetratory  as  an  entreaty  for 
favors.  This  is  the  fruit  and  benefit  of  a 
Mass   which   is    entirely   subject    to    the   inten- 


194  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

tion  of  the  priest,  and  which  he  is  bound  to  apply 
for  the  welfare  of  those  for  whom,  because  of 
a  stipend  or  benefice,  he  is  constrained  to  offer 
the  Mass. 

7s  this  fruit  ex  opere  operato,  or  operantis, 
according  to  the  terms  already  explained? 

It  is  obviously  ex  opere  operato. 

What  follows  from  this  principle? 

Whether  of  Impetration  or  Propitiation,  the 
fruit  so  derived  is  entirely  independent  of  the 
devotion,  or  personal  holiness  of  the  celebrant. 

In  its  application,  is  it  also  independent  of 
co-operative  dispositions  of  the  person  for  whom 
the  Mass  is  offered? 

It  is  not.  The  reasonableness  of  this  negative 
will  be  established  by  a  reference  to  the  unbap- 
tized.  They — and  among  the  unbaptized,  we 
classify  the  catechumens,  who  otherwise  stood  so 
near  the  faithful — are  absolutely  incapable  of 
receiving  the  fruit  of  the  Mass,  when  offered  for 
satisfaction  for  sin. 

Are  they  incapable  of  receiving  the  Impetra- 
tory  Efficacy  of  the  Mass? 

Some  theologians,  notably  Vasquez,  so  teach. 
De  Lugo,  however,  in  elaborate  discussion  argues: 
"This  sacrifice,  so  far  as  it  is  of  Impetration,  or 
entreaty,  or  petition  may  be  offered  for  any  end 


The  Fruits  of  the  Mass  195 

meriting  Divine  approval,  and  therefore,  not  only 
for  the  unbaptized,  but  also  for  things  without 
life,  and  things  devoid  of  reason.  Incredible  is  it 
that  it  may  be  offered  for  the  health  of  a  cow  or  a 
horse,  and  not  for  the  spiritual  welfare  of  an 
unbaptized  son  or  friend."  (Disp.  19,  Sec.  X,  n. 
166).  So  too  Mass  for  infidels,  "not  only  indirectly, 
but  directly  for  the  spiritual  good  of  these  infidels, 
whether  as  individuals  or  as  a  community."  (Disp. 
78,  Sect.  11,  n.  7-8). 

When  offered  for  the  satisfaction,  or  direct 
Remission  of  Temporal  Punishment  due  to  Sin, 
are  there  hindrances  to  its  unqualified  appli- 
cation? 

There  are  limitations  hedging  the  efficacy  of 
every  agent  for  the  direct  cancelling  of  temporal 
punishment,  which  affect  the  Mass  and  intercept 
its  fruits.     Thus: 

(a)  The  Mass  is  powerless  to  obliterate  the 
punishment  of  a  mortal  or  venial  sin,  whose  guilt 
is  still  existent. 

(b)  If  the  petitioner  is  in  mortal  sin,  the  Mass 
is  also  inoperative  for  the  remission  of  sins  pre- 
viously forgiven.  In  this  instance,  some  theo- 
logians suggest  a  theory  of  revival,  or  reviviscence, 
when  the  obstacle  is  removed,  of  doubtful  ac- 
ceptance. It  is  the  concurrent  teaching  of 
theologians  that  reviviscence  is  not  to  be  recognized 
in   ordinary   works   of   satisfaction,    nor   in   in- 


196  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

dulgences,  but  acceptable  in  the  satisfaction 
enjoined  in  the  Sacrament  of  Penance,  as  belong- 
ing to  a  very  special  class. 

(c)  There  is  the  hindrance  known  as  "indi- 
gentia  actualis" — real  and  actual  need — which 
means  that  when  the  person  for  whom  the  Mass 
is  offered  has  no  punishment  for  forgiven  sin  to 
remit,  the  fruit  of  such  Mass  is  inapplicable.  The 
important  sequel  of  this  conclusion  is  to  determine 
whether  the  fruit  might  not  be  reserved  and 
made  available  for  a  subsequent  need.  Dicastillo 
thus  sums  up  the  denial  of  theologians:  "They 
prove  it  from  the  example  of  Indulgences  which 
are  never  granted  for  future  sins,  and  from 
Sacramental  satisfaction,  which  does  not  remove 
beforehand  the  penalties  of  sins  to  be  yet  com- 
mitted. That  would  be  in  a  way  to  establish  an 
impunity  of  sinning."     (Disp.  3,  dub.  VI.  n.  172). 

What  is  the  status  of  those  capable  oj  receiv- 
ing this  Fruit? 

Neither  actual  devotion  nor  knowledge  of  the 
offering  is  required  for  its  acceptance.  "No  co- 
operation is  needed,  but  both  the  unknowing  and 
the  do-nothings  can  gain  this  fruit."  (De  Lugo, 
Disp.  19.  Sect.  X.  n.  196 ) .  Indeed,  De  Lugo  holds 
the  startling  opinion,  that  the  fruit  of  the  Mass 
being  directed  by  the  celebrant's  intention  is  so 
sure  of  its  effect,  that  even  the  unwilling  subject 
of  it  will  receive  the  remission  of  his  sin's  punish- 
ment despite  his  objections. 


The  Fruits  of  the  Mass  197 

Setting  aside  these  demonstrable  but  extreme 
views,  it  is  more  profitable  to  take  as  the  measure 
of  our  fruitful  participation  in  and  concurrence 
with  the  Mass  the  more  probable  and  com- 
mon opinion  of  theologians,  that  the  net  effect 
produced  in  any  case  will  depend  upon  the 
more  less  perfect  dispositions  of  the  person  for 
whom  the  Mass  is  offered.  "It  is  made  satisfactory 
both  for  those  for  whom  offered  and  those  offer- 
ing, according  to  the  sum  of  their  devotion."  "It 
profits  them  more  or  less  according  to  the  measure 
of  their  devotion."  (St.  Thomas,  3,  quest.  79, 
art  5,  7). 

Can  the  Church  prohibit  the  application  of 
this  Fruit  to  any  person  or  persons? 

The  Church  may  prohibit,  so  as  to  make  un- 
lawful, the  application  of  this  fruit  to  certain 
persons,  as  for  instance,  in  the  case  of  the  excom- 
municated who  are  to  be  shunned  or  vitandi,  and 
Suarez  includes  the  tolerati,  or  less  criminal  ex- 
communicates in  the  same  class. 

The  Church,  however,  cannot  by  any  restrictive 
order  affect  the  validity  of  such  application,  if 
actually  made  by  the  priest.  "If  he  offer  as  the 
minister  of  Christ  and  in  His  name,  he  does  indeed 
that  which  is  illicit  by  so  doing,  but  validly, 
nevertheless,  because  in  this  action,  he  is  no  more 
dependent  on  the  Church  than  he  is  in  a  valid 
Consecration.    (De  Lugo,  Disp.  19,  Sect.  X,  n.  185). 


198  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

Does  the  Church  by  Precept  or  othemvise 
Command  that  a  vortion  of  this  Fruit  be 
reserved  and  applied  to  all  the  Faithful? 

A  few  theologians  teach  that  some  residuum  of 
the  fruit  of  every  Mass  offered  by  our  Lord, 
either  by  Church  precept  or  Divine  appointment, 
must  be  applied  for  the  benefit  of  all  the  faithful. 
Vasquez  is  one  of  them,  with  the  assertion  that 
the  fruit  of  Impetration,  as  well  as  satisfaction 
must  be  thus  reserved.  (Disp.  231,  Cap.  VI,  n.  36). 
It  is  conjectured  with  some  show  of  probability, 
that  these  theologians  had  in  mind  the  fruit  of  a 
Mass  offered  by  the  Church,  and  not  by  our  Lord, 
which  alone  is  under  analysis  here. 

What  is  to  be  said  regarding  this  opinion? 

(a)  There  is  a  practical  certitude  that  the  opinion 
is  untenable  as  regards  the  fruit  of  satisfaction. 

(b)  It  is  certain  that  the  priest  is  obliged  to 
apply  this  fruit  in  its  entirety  to  the  person  or 
persons  only,  for  whom  by  reason  of  the  stipend 
he  is  obliged  to  offer  the  Mass. 

(c)  As  regards  the  fruit  of  Impetration,  which 
is  divisible  without  trespass  on  any  of  the  rights 
of  the  person  for  whom  the  Mass  is  offered,  there 
is  no  evidence  that  such  an  obligation  exists. 

What  is  the  general  rule  with  reference  to 
the  application  of  the  Fruit  of  the  Mass? 

It  is  made  by  the  intention  of  the  celebrant, 


The  Fruits  of  the  Mass  199 

and  therefore  it  is  the  fruit  which  is  really 
applied,  and  not  that  which,  for  some  reason, 
ought  to  be  applied  which  is  effective. 

What  sort  of  intention  is  required? 

Neither  a  present  actual  intention,  nor  one 
virtually  persevering  is  required.  An  intention 
previously  formed  and  not  recalled,  known  as 
habitual,  suffices.  Even  that  intention  is  enough 
which  Lacroix  calls  interpretative,  and  which  is 
more  properly  implicit  habitual,  when,  for 
instance,  through  inadvertence,  the  celebrant 
makes  no  special  appropriation  of  the  fruit,  and 
yet  he  would  have  discharged  a  definite  obligation 
by  it,  or  given  it  to  himself,  if  he  had  remem- 
bered in  time.  Therefore,  in  the  absence  of  a 
special  or  explicit  intention,  a  general  or  implicit 
purpose  to  aid  himself,  or  the  souls  in  Purgatory, 
or  satisfy  for  a  stipend  received,  and  for  the  time 
overlooked,  will  avail.  The  various  explicit  peti- 
tions accompanying  the  offering  of  the  Host  in 
the  Mass  are  responsible  for  the  very  general 
opinion  that  some  such  intention  is  always  the 
concomitant  of  every  Mass. 

In  the  absence  of  every  intention,  ivhat  is 
the  fate  of  the  Mass-Jruit? 

It  remains  unapplied.  Perhaps  it  goes  into  the 
Church's  treasury  whence  Indulgences  derive 
their  value. 


200  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

With  reference  to  the  fruit  of  Impetration, 
this  conclusion  is  indisputable.  "Who  asks  noth- 
ing," says  De  Lugo,  "cannot  be  said  to  impetrate 
or  petition.  Who  in  the  Mass  asks  God  for 
nothing,  does  not  beg  by  this  kind  of  entreaty." 

As  regards  the  fruit  of  satisfaction,  there  is 
the  questionable  opinion  of  some  theologians  that 
it  belongs  to  the  celebrant  in  the  absence  of  every 
intention.  Why  he  should  have  a  right  prior  to 
every  one  else  is  not  quite  clear.  Besides,  it  is 
expedient  to  remember  that  the  fruit  here  in 
question  is  not  the  fruit  of  a  Mass  by  the  priest, 
but  that  of  a  Mass  offered  by  our  Lord,  which 
may  alter  this  opinion.  The  unavoidable  con- 
clusion seems  to  be,  that  the  fruit  in  this  instance 
remains  reserved  or  unapplied. 

$  2   THE  FRUITS  OF  THE  MASS  AS  OFFERED 

BY  THE  CHURCH. 

What  is  the  special  character  of  this  Fruit? 

The  fruit  of  the  sacrifice  when  thus  considered 
is  of  Impetration  only. 

How  is  it  applied? 

The  terms  and  measure  of  its  application  may 
be  discerned  in  the  piayer  at  the  Offertory  of  the 
Host — of  the  chalice — in  the  beginning  of  the 
Canon,  and  at  the  Memento.  It  is  a  fruit  placed 
at  the  disposal  of  all  the  faithful. 


The  Fruits  of  the  Mass  201 

By  what  name  is  it  known? 

It  is  called  generalis,  and  generalissimus — 
(general  and  very  general) .  Being  of  Impetra- 
tion,  it  may  be  necessary  to  recall  the  principle  of 
a  shrunken  efficacy,  when  shared  by  a  number  of 
persons  or  objects. 

May  a  Priest  validly  exclude  any  of  the 
Faithful  from  this  Fruit? 

The  question  has  divided  theologians.  De  Lugo 
maintains  the  affirmative;  Suarez  the  negative. 
All,  however,  concur  in  the  inordinate  sinfulness 
of  such  an  exclusion. 

How  does  the  Church  bar  any  Person  from 
this  Fruit? 

The  Church  forbids  the  application  of  this  fruit 
to  the  excommunicated. 

What  Class  of  Excommunicated? 

There  are  two  classes  of  the  excommunicated 
concerned:  the  shunned,  or  vitandi,  and  the  non- 
shunned,  or  non-vitandi,  or  tolerati. 

(a)  It  is  improper  for  a  priest  to  directly  offer 
this  fruit  to  the  first  class.  An  indirect  appro- 
priation is  lawful  in  the  same  way  that  heretics 
and  infidels  may  be  prayed  for. 

(b)  An  application  of  this  fruit  by  the  priest 
in  the  name  of  the  Church  to  those  of  the  second 
class  was  a  prolonged  cause  of  discussion  among 


202  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

theologians,  with  Suarez  on  the  negative  side  and 
De  Lugo  favoring  the  affirmative,  which  has  come 
to  be  generally  accepted. 

§   3      THE  FRUITS  OF  THE  MASS  AS  OFFERED  BY  THE 
PRIEST  AS  AN  INDIVIDUAL,  AND  THOSE 
WHO  CO-OPERATE  WITH  HIM. 

What  is  this  Fruit  called? 

The  fruit  of  the  Mass  distinctively  available  for 
the  benefit  of  the  priest  is  technically  called 
specialissimus  (very  special).  As  to  its  value 
there  exist  some  curious  theological  speculations. 
Some  writers  give  its  efficacy  as  equal  to  the 
fructus  specialis,  and  others  allow  it  only  one- 
third  of  such  efficacy. 

By  what  title  is  this  Fruit  obtained? 

Because  the  personal  offering  of  the  priest  and 
of  those  who  co-operate  with  him  is  endowed 
with  all  the  ordinary  efficacy  of  personal  good 
works. 

What  is  the  meaning  of  this  Efficacy? 

It  is  threefold:  Of  impetration,  merit  and 
satisjaction. 

Is  this  effect  divisible? 

It  is.  A  person  in  sin  cannot  merit  or  satisfy 
for  sin.  He  may,  however,  by  a  fervent  prayer 
obtain   infallibly   the   grace  of  repentance.     His 


The  Fruits  of  the  Mass  203 

prayer,  therefore,  or  other  work,  is  invested  with 
the  efficacy  of  Impetration,  exclusive,  however,  of 
merit  and  satisfaction.  It  is  also  possible  for  good 
acts  to  be  devoid  of  their  impetratory  value,  and 
yet  possess  the  power  of  merit  and  expiation,  as 
when  the  Church  outlaws  the  excommunicated 
from  a  share  in  the  Mass. 

7s  the  above  Efficacy  or  Fruitfulness  appli- 
cable to  others? 

The  efficacy  of  impetration  and  satisfaction, 
but  not  of  merit,  may  be  applied  to  the  living,  or 
to  the  souls  in  Purgatory. 

Who  alone  have  the  right  to  make  this  appli- 
cation? 

Only  those  who  have  offered  and  joined  in  and 
helped  the  offering  of  the  Mass.  The  priest,  the 
acolyte,  the  sacristan  who  has  prepared  the  vest- 
ments and  the  altar,  the  person  for  whom  offered 
and  the  individual  members  of  the  congregation 
hearing  the  Mass  have  all  acquired  a  special  fruit 
because  of  their  good  work,  and  it  is  their  privi- 
lege to  deprive  themselves  of  this  fruit  and  trans- 
fer it  to  others,  if  they  so  elect. 

Is  this  Fruit  ex  opere  operato  or  operantis? 

According  to  these  terms  already  explained,  it 
is  chiefly  ex  opere  operantis,  although  not  ex- 
clusively, for  the  reason  that  its  power  of  entreaty 


204  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

and  petition  is  derived  substantially  from  the 
Holy  Sacrifice  offered  to  God,  and  in  this  special 
sense  may  be  regarded  as  ex  opere  operato. 

How  Jar  does  the  Priest  control  this  very 
special  Fruit? 

To  the  extent  that  in  the  Memento,  and  in  all 
other  prayers  of  the  Missal,  he  is  free  to  give  to 
persons,  otherwise  excluded  from  his  prayers  and 
Mass,  as  the  representative  of  the  Church,  that 
portion  of  the  fruit  which  is  exclusively  his  own 
individual  possession. 

Bibliography— Theologians:  Vasquez,  Suarez,  De  Lugo,  de 
Liguori,  Dicastillo,  St.  Thomas,  Lemkuhl,  Noldin,  Gasparri, 
Peter  Dens,  Irish  Ecci.  Record,  1882-1883. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

ON   THE  OBLATA  OR  OFFERINGS  FOR  MASSES. 

How  many  parts  are  there  in  the  Eucharist? 

Two:  The  sacramental  oblation,  or  Sacrifice  of 
the  Mass,  or  representative  commemoration  before 
God  of  Christ's  sufferings  in  accomplishing  the 
work  of  man's  deliverance,  and  the  sacrificial 
Communion,  or  means  of  increasing  the  Divine  life 
by  worthily  partaking  of  the  same. 

What  are  the  Essentials  of  the  Eucharist? 

Bread  and  wine  as  the  remote  matter;  their 
offering  as  the  proximate  matter,  and  the  prayer 
that  they  may  be  accepted  in  Heaven  in  accord- 
ance with  Christ's  institution  as  the  form. 

How  are  these  materials  prepared? 

The  bread  from  pure  wheaten  flour  and  water 
to  represent  the  offerers  united  among  them- 
selves. The  wine,  the  pure  juice  of  the  grape 
properly  made,  and  not  freshly  squeezed  nor  yet 
acid,  and  a  little  water  added,  not  enough  to  drown 
the  wine,  to  represent  the  people  united  to  Christ, 
or,  as  others  teach,  to  typify  the  union  of  the 
Divinity  and  Humanity  in  one  Divine  Person, 
Christ. 


206  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

Is  this  Bread  leavened  or  unleavened? 

The  Eastern  Church  always  consecrated 
leavened  bread.  According  to  Mabillon,  unleavened 
bread  was  always  used  in  the  West.  Cardinal 
Bona  and  Sirmond,  however,  hold  that  up  to  the 
year  867,  leavened  and  unleavened  bread  were 
used  indiscriminately,  but  that  unleavened  bread 
became  the  rule  by  1054. 

What  proportion  of  Alcohol  is  allowed  in  the 
Wine? 

For  many  years  the  net  proportion  of  alcohol 
both  native  to  the  wine  and  superadded  was  not 
to  exceed  twelve  per  cent.  As  many  of  the 
Spanish  wines,  however,  have  twelve  per  cent 
after  first  fermentation,  and  require  an  additional 
amount  to  prevent  acidity  in  exportation,  in 
response  to  a  petition  of  the  archbishop  of  Tarra- 
gona, the  Sacred  Congregation,  August  5,  1896, 
made  the  maximum  proportion  of  alcohol  eighteen 
per  cent. 

With  respect  to  these  Sacrificial  elements 
ivhat  was  the  practice  of  the  early  Church? 

The  faithful  donated  all  the  bread  and  wine  used 
in  the  service. 

Did    they    make   gifts  only  of  Bread  and 
Wine? 
They  also  donated  wheat  and  grapes. 


The  Offerings  for  Mass  207 

When  was  this  offering  of  materials  for  the 
Sacrifice  made? 

At  the  Offertory,  or  at  the  conclusion  of  the 
Mass  of  Catechumens. 

What  name  was  given  to  these  offerings? 
They  were  called  sacrifices  or  eulogies. 

Were  all  Christians  allowed  to  make  them? 

To  insure  a  pure,  safe  offering,  only  those 
Christians  were  allowed  to  make  them  who  could 
receive  Communion.  Therefore,  public  peni- 
tents, catechumens,  criminals,  public  sinners,  the 
excommunicated,  usurers,  matricides  and  those 
allowing  their  children  to  be  baptized  in  heresy 
were  excluded  from  the  privilege. 

By  what  other  appellation  were  these  offer- 
ings known? 

They  were  also  called  "common"  gifts,  to  dis- 
tinguish them  from  special  alms  and  given  by  one 
or  many  of  the  faithful  for  an  individual  or 
multiple  appropriation  of  the  fruits  of  the  Mass. 

What  was  the  purpose  of  these  Special 
Alms? 

As  the  common  gifts  were  destined  for  the 
Sacrifice,  the  alms  were  given  for  the  support 
of  the  clergy. 

When  and  how  was  the  offering  of  Alms 
made? 


208  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

Either  before  the  Gospel,  or  the  end  of  the 
Mass,  or  at  the  bishop's  house.  During  the  Mass, 
the  bishop  with  his  clerics  collected  the  alms  of 
the  faithful. 

This  offering  was  three-fold,  corresponding 
with  three  distinct  positions  in  the  Church  held  by 
(1)  laymen,  (2)  deacons,  (3)  priests.  The  people 
offered  the  bread  and  wine,  corn  or  flour  and  grapes. 
The  deacon  selected  what  was  needed  for  the 
actual  sacrifice.  The  priest  blessed  and  made 
oblation  of  it.  In  the  beginning,  the  grain  or 
flour  was  presented  as  raw  material,  and  prepared 
as  newly-baked  bread  for  the  Offertory.  When 
the  services  began  to  be  abbreviated  before  the 
fifth  century,  oblation-loaves  (hostise)  called 
obleys,  ubbles  or  hosts  already  baked  and  prepared 
came  to  be  offered  by  the  people. 

The  fifth  Council  of  Aries  (554)  requires  these 
loaves  to  be  all  of  one  shape  like  the  pattern  in 
Aries. 

The  Council  of  Macon  (585)  commands  all, 
both  men  and  women,  to  make  an  offering  of 
bread  and  wine  every  Sunday. 

The  Council  of  Chelsea  (787)  directed  whole 
loaves  to  be  offered,  and  not  detached  pieces. 

Hincmar  of  Rheims  (852)  forbids  any  one  to 
offer  more  than  one  oblation-loaf  for  himself  and 
his  family,  and  directing  other  gifts  to  be  made 
before  or  after  the  service. 


The  Offerings  for  Mass  209 

The  Trullan  Council  (691)  forbade  grapes, 
and  the  Council  of  Braga  (675)  freshly  made 
wine. 

The  bishop  in  person  received  the  oblation- 
loaves  as  a  credential  they  were  presented  by 
worthy  persons,  whilst  the  deacons  received  the 
oblation-wine. 

When  did  the  offering  of  materials  for  the 
Sacrifice  cease? 

At  the  end  of  the  sixth  century  the  custom 
began  to  wane  through  a  relaxing  of  the  fervour 
of  the  faithful,  and  the  abstention  from  frequent 
Communion.  It  was  then  restricted  for  a  time  to 
Sundays  only  and  became  the  almost  exclusive 
privilege  of  women.  By  the  twelfth  century  it 
had  ceased  entirely  except  among  clerics. 

After  the  establishment  of  the  parochial  system 
(1250 )  and  the  appointment  of  vicars  to  Collegiate 
churches,  the  people's  offertory  became  obsolete 
and  the  oblation-bread  and  wine  were  either  sup- 
plied by  the  parishes  or  the  vicar.  Late  as  1569 
Maldonatus  found  in  some  places  the  old  custom 
yet  followed,  as  now  in  Milan.  In  certain  parishes 
of  the  Diocese  of  Riez  according  to  Le  Brun  (1716) 
a  loaf,  dish  of  meal  and  bottle  of  wine  were 
offered  at  Masses  for  the  dead.  This  was  also  the 
practice  at  Rouen  in  1698  and  in  Wiltshire  in  1638. 

What  are  the  Jacts  for  the  ofigin  and  growth 
of  Alms  or  Stipends  for  Masses  in  vogue  now? 


210  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

St.  Epiphanius  (347),  St.  Benedict  (543),  Ul- 
trogotha,  the  queen  of  King  Childebert  (558),  St. 
John,  The  Almoner,  of  Alexandria  (686),  St.  Bede 
(679),  bear  witness  for  themselves  and  others  that 
stipends  were  given  for  Masses.  By  the  eighth 
century  the  custom  was  so  generally  established 
that  a  council  in  Germany,  presided  over  by  St. 
Boniface  (742)  decreed  that  "every  priest  in  the 
Lent  must  report  to  his  bishop  the  profits  arising 
from  baptisms  and  Masses  to  forestall  abuses." 
To  the  eighth  century,  Mabillon,  Thomassin,  Van 
Espen  and  Guiard  ascribe  the  origin  of  stipends 
for  private  Masses,  and  by  the  twelfth  century 
the  practice  became  universal.  To  restrain  the 
affluent  influx  of  these  stipends,  Pope  Eugene  II, 
in  the  Council  of  Rome  (862)  and  Leo  IV  in 
another  Roman  Council  (853)  inhibited  priests 
from  accepting  all  the  alms  offered  them  for 
Masses.  Alexander  II  in  the  eleventh  century 
refers  to  a  practice  of  many  daily  Masses  by  the 
same  priest  for  the  sake  of  the  stipend  and  pro- 
scribes it  as  an  abuse. 

What  were  the  reasons  for  these  special  Alms 
for  Masses? 

(1)  The  early  fervour  which  prompted  the 
offerings  of  wine  and  bread  for  the  sacrifice  had 
chilled,  and  in  lieu  of  them  the  faithful  who 
aspired  to  a  share  in  the  Mass  substituted  money 
offerings.  Some  were  not  satisfied  with  this  joint 
or  corporate  share  of  the  sacrificial  efficacy  and 


The  Offerings  for  Mass  211 

gradually  the  practice  developed  of  giving  money 
to  the  priest  outside  the  Mass  for  a  special  appro- 
priation of  its  fruits. 

(2)  Another  cause  was  the  persuasion  that  a 
Mass  was  more  efficacious  when  offered  for  one  or 
a  limited  number  than  when  applied  to  all  the 
faithful. 

(3)  Still  another  reason  was  the  relaxation  of 
popular  piety,  which  in  its  heyday  prompted  at- 
tendance at  all  the  more  solemn  services,  and  in 
its  decline  turned  away  from  the  more  protracted 
and  sought  the  shorter  private  Mass,  and,  especially, 
the  Votive  Masses,  which  according  to  the  Gallic 
rite  were  offered  for  special  intentions. 

( 4 )  The  new  custom,  as  might  be  anticipated, 
was  very  acceptable  to  the  priests  and  received 
their  cordial  encouragement.  Whilst  under  the 
old  regime  that  part  of  the  material  oblations  not 
actually  used  in  the  sacrifice  was  converted  and 
applied  to  the  use  of  the  clergy,  the  new  form  of 
alms,  given  directly  to  the  priest,  realized  its  pur- 
pose by  a  less  circuitous  route. 

By  what  names  is  this  offering  known? 

It  is  called  a  tax,  stipend,  intention,  offering, 
honorary  and  eleemosynae,  or  alms,  which  last 
name  is  preferred. 

Did  these  Alms  Jor  Masses  evoke  opposition? 

John  Wyckliffe  (1324-1384)  the  English  heresi- 
arch,    first    condemned    them,    and   Protestants 


212  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

generally,  following  the  lead  of  John  Calvin, 
(1509-1564)  are  in  opposition  to  them.  A  few 
Catholic  writers  treat  them  with  disfavor  and 
recommend  the  restoration  of  the  material  obla- 
tions of  the  primitive  Church,  and  the  notorious 
Synod  of  Pistoja  (1786 )  convened  by  the  Grand 
Duke  Leopold  of  Tuscany  sounded  a  note  of  cen- 
sure. A  Council  of  Toledo  (1324)  forbade  the 
exaction,  but  permitted  the  free  offering  for  Masses. 

What  is  the  present  status  of  the  question? 

A  priest  is  justified  not  only  in  accepting,  but 
in  exacting  a  stipend  for  the  celebration  and  ap- 
plication of  a  Mass. 

WJiat  arguments  are  available  in  support  of 
this  custom? 

(1)  The  universal  usage  of  the  Church  from 
the  eighth  century. 

(2)  There  is  a  Divine  and  natural  sanction  for 
the  custom: 

(a)  Christ  said:  (Matthew,  Chap.  X,  v.  10)  "For 
the  laborer  is  worthy  of  his  food;"  St.  Paul  (1  Cor. 
Chap.  IX,  7,  sq.)  subjoins:  "Who  serveth  as  a 
soldier  at  any  time  at  his  own  charges  (expense)? 
Who  planteth  a  vineyard  and  eateth  not  the  fruit 
thereof?  Who  feedeth  a  flock  and  eateth  not  of 
the  milk  of  the  flock?  Or  doth  not  the  law  also 
say  these  things?  Know  you  not  that  they  who 
work  in  the  holy  place  eat  the  things  that  are  of 
the  holy  place,  and  they  that  serve  the  altar  par- 
take with  the  altar?" 


The  Offerings  for  Mass  213 

(b)  By  the  dictates  of  natural  justice  no  one  is 
obliged  to  spend  himself  gratuitously  in  the  service 
of  another.  Hence,  by  a  strict  obligation,  the 
faithful  are  bound  to  support  their  clergy  who 
give  an  equivalent  of  spiritual  service,  and  over 
against  this  duty  of  support  lies  the  right  to  exact 
it,  for  both  are  correlative. 

(3)  The  fourth  Council  of  Lateran  (1215),  the 
Council  of  Trent  (1545-1563,  Session  XXV)  and 
Pius  VI  in  condemning  a  contrary  opinion  declared 
by  the  irregular  Synod  of  Pistoja  (1786)  approved 
the  custom. 

Does  not  the  exaction  oj  Stipends  for  Masses 
savor  of  Simony? 

Simony  is  the  commutation  of  a  thing  spiritual 
or  annexed  unto  spirituals  by  giving  something 
that  is  temporal,  or  a  deliberate  act,  or  a  premedi- 
tated will  and  desire  of  selling  such  things  as  are 
spiritual,  or  of  anything  annexed  unto  spirtuals 
by  giving  something  of  a  temporal  nature  for  the 
purchase  thereof. 

It  is  simoniacal  to  exact  pecuniary  remunera- 
tion for  the  intrinsic  labor  involved  in  the  perform- 
ance of  a  spiritual  service,  whether  of  Mass  or  the 
adminstration  of  the  Sacraments,  for  the  intrinsic 
labor  is  identified  with,  and  annexed  to  the 
spiritual  result.  To  anticipate  and  safeguard 
scandal  and  abuse,  the  Church  could  prohibit  the 
acceptance  of  any  pecuniary   offering  for   any 


214  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

spiritual  function,  the  violation  of  which  would  be 
simony  by  ecclesiastical  enactment.  The  priest, 
however,  does  not  demand  a  stipend  for  the  Mass, 
nor  for  the  intrinsic  and  immediate  labor  of  it, 
but  for  the  extrinsic  labor  such  as  the  fast,  the 
chant,  the  journey,  and  also  as  an  item  for  his  sup- 
port, to  which  he  is  entitled. 

Has  not  the  Council  of  Trent  (Session  XXII) 
prohibited  Stipends? 

The  original  draft  of  the  decree  contemplated 
an  approximation  to  that  of  the  Council  of  Toledo 
(1324),  prohibiting  the  exaction  of  a  stipend,  but 
on  the  remonstrance  of  the  bishop  of  Naxos,  one  of 
the  Clyclades  in  the  Aegean  Sea,  who  con- 
tended that  it  was  justified  by  the  right  of  self- 
support,  the  decree  was  cast  in  its  present  form, 
which  permits  a  stipend.  In  this  decree,  there  is 
a  reference  made  to  a  species  of  avarice  in  con- 
nection with  "Novse  Missse"  or  the  first  Mass  of 
a  new  priest,  who,  pursuant  to  an  old  custom, 
collected  the  alms  of  the  faithful  by  leaving  the 
altar  and  going  about  the  church.  Gregory  XIII 
(1573)  forbade  departure  from  the  altar,  but  al- 
lowed the  newly  ordained  celebrant  from  his  place 
at  the  altar  to  face  the  people  and  accept  their 
alms.  This  privilege  demonstrates  the  right  of  a 
just  stipend  for  a  first  Mass,  which  is  not  cur- 
tailed or  denied  for  other  Masses. 


The  Offerings  for  Mass  215 

How  then  are  we  to  understand  the  instruc- 
tion given  to  Bishops  by  the  Council  of  Trent 
that  they  prohibit  all  pacts  and  conditions  of 
traffic,  and  all  importunate  and  exorbitant 
demands  for  money? 

It  has  reference  only  to  simoniacal  transactions 
and  superstitious  practices  and  all  usages  foreign 
to  the  law  and  discipline  of  the  Church. 

Can  a  rich  Priest  exact  a  stipend? 

The  fact  of  his  wealth  does  not  exempt  the 
faithful  from  the  duty  of  supporting  the  ministry, 
nor  contravene  his  right  to  exact  it.  St.  Paul  asks 
"who  serveth  as  a  soldier  at  his  own  expense?" 
and  neither  Pontiff  nor  Council  discriminates 
between  rich  and  needy  priests. 

When  many  priests  celebrate  jointly  is  each 
entitled  to  a  stipend? 

In  the  Eastern  Church,  concelebration  is  the 
ordinary,  though  not  the  exclusive  method  of  say- 
ing Mass,  which  signifies,  that  associated  with  the 
bishop  or  other  chief  celebrant,  are  one  or  many 
others  who  in  unison  consecrate  the  Host  and 
Chalice,  and  therefore  join  in  the  same  sacrifice  by 
an  active  participation.  In  the  first  ages  of  the 
Western  Church  this  form  of  a  corporate  Mass 
was  the  usual  custom.  The  sole  exemplar  of  such 
a  Mass  now  is  in  the  consecration  of  a  bishop 
and  the  ordination  of  a  priest. 


216  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

The  Council  of  Mount  Lebanon  (1736)  for  the 
Maronites,  and  Benedict  XIV  by  a  Bull,  dated 
December  24,  1743,  for  the  Melchite  Greeks,  per- 
mitted each  co-celebrant  to  receive  a  stipend. 
The  same  privilege  is  granted  in  the  Western 
Church  according  to  Benedict  XIV,  St.  Alphonsus 
de  Liguori  and  Gasparri,  if  it  is  certain  that  the 
donor  of  the  stipend  knowingly  consents. 

Who  fixes  the  Tax  or  Stipend  for  a  Mass? 

The  bishop  in  his  diocese  for  Secular  and  Regular 
priest  alike  determines  the  amount  of  the  stipend. 
By  a  decree  (n.  369)  of  the  Second  Council  of 
Baltimore,  a  bishop  may  even  prohibit  the  regular 
acceptance  of  a  fee  less  than  the  statutory  stipend. 
This  regulation,  however,  is  not  violated  by  the 
acceptance  of  a  moiety  from  the  poor  for  the 
celebration  of  a  Mass. 

What  factors  determine  the  amount  of  the 
Stipend? 

The  hour  at  which  the  Mass  is  to  be  said,  the 
chant,  the  distance  to  be  travelled  and  the  per- 
manency of  the  burden  assumed. 

Is  a  uniform  standard  possible  in  prescrib- 
ing a  Stipend? 

Because  of  an  indeterminate  variety  of  economic 
conditions  in  time  and  place,  the  Council  of  Trent 
and  the  Sacred  Congregation  have  refused  to 
decree  a  universal  standard  and,  therefore,  have 


The  Offerings  for  Mass  217 

relinquished  it  to  the  local  bishops.  Benedict  XIV, 
however,  is  averse  to  a  maximum  stipend  because 
a  priest  is  not  dependent  on  his  Masses  for  his 
entire  support,  and  Suarez  reaches  the  same  con- 
clusion because  a  Mass  demands  neither  the  entire 
day  nor  the  greater  part  of  it.  An  additional 
argument  is  based  on  the  fact,  that  priests  ordained 
with  an  assured  benefice  or  a  patrimony  for  their 
becoming  sustenance  are  not  entirely  dependent 
on  their  Masses.  This  last  condition  being  in- 
applicable to  priests  engaged  in  the  ministry  in 
special  countries,  like  the  United  States,  amplifies 
their  privilege  to  accept  a  more  generous  stipend. 

What  is  the  average  stipend  for  a  Mass  in 
the  United  States? 

For  a  Low  Mass  the  customary  stipend  often 
fixed  by  Synodal  statute  is  one  dollar.  For 
a  High  Mass  and  a  funeral  service  with  chant 
and  organist  the  amount  varies  in  different 
dioceses. 

Can  a  Priest  exact  more  than  the  statutory 
stipend? 

To  demand  more  than  the  legal  stipend  creates 
a  presumption  of  simony  in  foro  externo,  and  a 
fact  of  simony,  at  least,  by  ecclesiastical  legislation 
in  foro  interno  and  is  therefore  prohibited.  He 
may,  however,  accept  gratuities  for  Masses  in 
excess  of  the  standard  stipend. 


218  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

What  is  the  nature  of  the  obligation  assumed 
by  a  Priest  who  accepts  a  stipend? 

There  is  an  explicit  or  implicit  contract  whereby 
the  priest  in  consideration  of  a  stipend,  given  for 
his  support,  agrees  to  offer  a  Mass  by  an  obligation 
of  justice. 

In  how  many  ways  does  this  obligation  bind? 

Four — to  the  number,  time,  locality  and  quality 
of  the  Mass. 

What  is  the  rule  relative  to  the  number  of 
Masses? 

There  must  be  as  many  Masses  as  there  are 
stipends  accepted.  Therefore,  Alexander  VII 
(1665)  condemned  those  who  taught  many 
stipends  could  be  discharged  by  one  Mass,  and  that 
a  single  Mass  could  be  offered  for  a  double  stipend 
by  assigning  the  ordinary  fruit  of  the  Mass  to  one 
intention  and  the  priest's  share  of  it  to  the  other. 
The  same  rule  obtains  even  when  the  number  of 
Masses  is  not  specified,  and  when  a  sum  less  than 
the  standard  tax  is  knowingly  and  willingly  ac- 
cepted. 

What  is  the  obligation  as  to  the  time  oj  the 
celebration  of  the  Mass? 

(1)  If  a  definite  day  be  mutually  agreed  upon 
because  of  a  special  need  or  intention  for  that  day, 
the  Mass  must  be  offered  according  to  that  under- 
standing.    If  a  day  is  specialized,  not  for  its  own 


The  Offerings  for  Mass  219 

sake  so  much  as  to  be  assured  of  the  Mass  within 
a  certain  time,  a  slight  anticipatory  or  dilatory 
departure  from  the  day  appointed  is  permissible. 

If  a  definite  time  is  fixed  like  a  week  or  fifteen 
days,  or  one  month,  the  Mass  must  be  offered 
within  that  time.  If  the  urgent  and  present 
necessity  for  which  a  Mass  is  invoked,  like  an  ex- 
pected death,  or  an  auspicious  birth,  or  a  pressing 
danger  is  specified,  the  Mass  must  not  be  delayed. 

(2)  If  the  time  limit  is  left  indeterminate,  all 
former  decrees  are  superseded  by  an  Instruction 
of  the  Sacred  Congregation  of  the  Council 
approved  by  Pius  X,  issued  May  11,  1904,  and 
enjoining  the  following: 

(a)  The  ordinary  time  within  which  a  Mass 
must  be  said  is  one  month;  for  one  hundred 
Masses  six  months,  and  so  in  proportion. 

(6)  No  one  is  allowed  to  accept  more  stipends 
than  he  can  discharge  in  one  year  from  date  of 
acceptance,  except  with  the  consent  of  the  donor. 

(c)  All  Masses  remaining  unsaid  after  the  lapse 
of  a  year  must  with  their  stipends  be  transferred 
to  the  bishop,  unless  the  excess  is  trifling  and 
their  celebration  is  prorogued  by  consent  of  the 
donors. 

(d)  Extra  Masses  which  a  priest  is  free  to  dis- 
pose of  may  be  surrendered  with  the  stipends  to 
the  Holy  See,  or  bishop,  or  any  irreproachable 
priest. 


220  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

(e)  Such  delivery  to  the  Holy  See,  or  bishop 
acquits  the  priest  of  all  further  responsibility.  A 
transfer  to  other  priests,  however,  carries  with  it 
a  personal  obligation  until  he  knows  that  the 
Masses  have  been  said.  If,  therefore,  through 
loss  of  the  stipends,  or  death,  or  other  mischance, 
the  intentions  be  left  unexecuted,  the  priest  who 
gave  them  must  discharge  the  obligation. 

(3)  If  the  donor  is  informed  by  the  priest  that 
he  cannot  offer  the  Mass  at  any  specified  time,  and 
is  willing  to  abide  by  his  convenience,  he  may 
accept  the  alms  and  say  the  Mass  at  the  most 
suitable  time. 

What  is  the  most  recent  legislation  regard- 
ing the  disposal  of  Mass  stipends? 

In  a  decree  of  the  S.  Congregation  of  the 
Council,  August,  1904,  the  Holy  See  renewed  and 
emphasized  by  certain  additional  restrictions  the 
existing  canonical  prescriptions  regarding  the  ac- 
ceptance and  disposition  of  stipends  received 
from  the  faithful  for  Masses.  It  laid  bishops  and 
priests  under  the  obligation  not  to  collect  or  receive 
offerings  for  Masses,  unless  they  are  able  person- 
ally to  satisfy  the  duty  or  delegate  it,  on  their 
own  responsibility,  without  permitting  indiscrimi- 
nate liberty  in  assigning  stipends  to  other  priests, 
unless  they  are  sure  from  personal  knowledge  that 
the  Masses  would  be  said  within  a  given  time. 

Moreover,  the  Ordinaries  were  to  be  made  the 


The  Offerings  for  Mass  221 

depositaries  of  Mass  obligations  which  had  ac- 
cumulated or  had  not  been  fulfilled  within  the 
time  assigned,  and  they  were  to  dispose  of  the 
stipends  among  really  needy  priests.  Of  these 
transactions  registers  were  to  be  kept  both  by  the 
individual  priest  who  received  the  stipends  and  by 
the  bishop  who  disposed  of  the  surplus  of  unsaid 
Masses.  In  all  cases  the  obligation  of  answering 
for  the  saying  of  the  Masses  would  remain  with 
the  party  who  had  transferred  the  stipend  to 
another  priest,  until  he  was  assured  that  the 
Masses  had  actually  been  said. 

There  were  also  distinct  regulations  to  prevent 
the  danger  of  traffic  of  sacred  things,  such  as  the 
exchange  or  compact  to  say  Masses  in  payment 
for  subscriptions  to  periodicals,  or  for  books,  or  for 
the  cancelling  of  membership  fees  in  pious  con- 
gregations, for  the  support  of  shrines  and  chari- 
table works  of  any  kind.  The  penalty  for  violation 
of  these  rules  was  in  some  cases  suspension  ipso 
facto  for  priests,  and  excommunication  for  laymen. 

Now  the  S.  Congregation  complains  that  these 
laws  have  been  evaded  in  various  ways,  and  that 
the  spirit  of  avarice  ever  close  to  the  temple  has 
taken  on  some  new  forms.  Under  plea  of  supply- 
ing missionary  needs,  priests  and  agents  have 
gone  about  collecting  stipends  for  Masses,  with  the 
assumed  understanding  and  consent  of  the  donors, 
that  part  of  the  offering  is  to  be  devoted  to  the 
necessities  of  the  mission  and  the  support  of  other 


222  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

undertakings.  Part  of  the  Masses  were  con- 
signed to  priests  who  were  willing  to  accept  a 
lesser  amount  than  the  original  offering,  and  the 
remainder  was  used  at  the  discretion  of  those  who 
had  collected  the  stipend.  Frequently  these  "in- 
tentions" were  sent  abroad  to  priests  of  dioceses 
in  which  the  customary  stipend  is  lower  than 
elsewhere;  and  sometimes  they  were  entrusted  to 
priests  entirely  unknown  and  whose  sense  of 
responsibility  offered  no  guarantee  that  the  Masses 
would  be  conscientiously  said. 

In  view  of  these  abuses  the  Holy  See  not  only 
urges  anew  the  former  prescriptions,  but  defines 
them  still  more  closely,  whilst  making  the 
Ordinaries  directly  responsible  within  their  juris- 
diction for  a  careful  and  conscientious  supervision 
of  the  matter.  Accordingly  the  S.  Congregation 
ordains  sub  gravi  conscientise  vinculo  ab  omni- 
bus servanda: 

(1)  That  Mass  stipends  are  not  to  be  given  to 
priests  of  another  diocese,  whether  they  be 
Religious  or  Seculars,  except  with  the  explicit 
sanction  of  the  Ordinary  or  the  Provincial.  The 
words  of  the  decree  make  the  Ordinary  practically 
the  dispenser  of  all  the  intentions  or  stipends 
given  to  priests  under  his  jurisdiction.     Hence — 

(2)  The  Ordinary  of  each  diocese  is  to  keep  a 
register  of  the  names  of  his  priests,  and  in  it  are 
to  be  noted  the  Masses  assigned  to  each  through 
or  by  the  Ordinary.     This  is  to  guide  him  in  the 


The  Offerings  for  Mass  223 

proper  and  equitable  distribution  of  such  stipends 
as  are  left  with  the  bishop,  either  from  the  sur- 
plus of  unsaid  Masses  at  the  end  of  the  year,  or 
from  the  stipends  which  come  to  him  from  non- 
diocesan  sources. 

(3)  Lest,  however,  these  restrictions  prevent 
the  exercise  of  that  charity  by  which  the  priests 
of  the  foreign  missions  in  the  East  have  hitherto 
become  beneficiaries  of  the  generosity  of  well-to- 
do  Catholics  among  the  clergy  and  laity,  the  S. 
Congregation  of  Propaganda  is  constituted  the 
official  depository  of  all  offerings  for  Masses  in- 
tended for  the  Oriental  missions.  Hence,  those 
who  wish  to  aid  priests  in  the  foreign  missions  by 
offerings  for  Masses  shall  have  to  send  the 
stipends  directly  to  the  S.  Congregation  in  Rome 
whence  they  will  be  distributed  according  to  the 
known  needs  of  the  respective  missions. 

These  measures  are  stringent  in  view  of  the 
practice  which  hitherto  prevailed,  especially  in  the 
freedom  with  which  foreign  missionaries  have 
been  in  the  habit  of  collecting  stipends  during 
their  sojourns  abroad.  Naturally  these  priests 
appeal  to  the  sympathy  of  the  stranger  people 
among  whom  they  preach.  The  indiscriminate 
liberality  of  the  faithful  often  begets  a  vague 
sense  of  irresponsibility  on  the  part  of  the  visiting 
priest;  and  a  missionary  who  on  his  rounds  collects 
hundreds  and  thousands  of  intentions,  hoping  to 
satisfy  them  in  the  course  of  time,  or  dispose  of 


224  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

them  among  his  brethren  on  his  return  home, 
may  not  only  lose  sight  of  the  record  of  his  obliga- 
tions, but  may  be  overtaken  by  sickness  or  death, 
leaving  his  promises  unfulfilled.  Frequently,  too, 
missionary  pretenders,  who  get  along  on  their 
appearance  or  on  the  strength  of  their  familiarity 
with  local  church  matters,  have  been  found  to 
abuse  the  serious  trust  implied  in  the  acceptance 
of  Mass  stipends,  and  not  only  deceived  those  who 
had  confided  in  their  honest  looks,  but  also  created 
a  general  distrust,  to  the  unfortunate  lessening  of 
charity  where  it  is  really  needed  and  effective. 

By  making  the  Ordinaries  or  the  Sacred  Con- 
gregation the  distributors  of  Mass  stipends  outside 
the  diocese,  another  source  of  abuse  is  prevented. 
It  is  well  known  that  as  the  value  of  money  and 
the  cost  of  living  differ  in  different  countries,  so 
does  the  customary  stipend  for  Masses.  In  the 
United  States  the  usual  stipend  is  one  dollar;  in 
Canada  the  Dominican  Fathers  have  long  adver- 
tised that  they  say  Masses  for  fifty  cents.  In 
Italy  and  France  the  stipend  is  one  franc.  As  the 
priestly  function  and  the  service  of  the  Mass  are 
of  the  same  value  everywhere,  it  follows  that  a 
priest  in  France  whom  an  American  asks  to  say  a 
Mass,  is  much  more  benefitted  than  he  would  be 
by  a  request  to  say  Mass  from  a  person  of  his  own 
diocese.  This  has  given  rise,  very  naturally,  to 
anxiety  on  the  part  of  the  priests  in  poorer 
dioceses  to  obtain  Mass  stipends  from  those  abroad 


The  Offerings  for  Mass  225 

who  make  larger  offerings;  and  when  such  an 
exchange    of    poverty    and   uncostly   generosity 
occurs  between  a  priest  who  transfers  his  surplus 
to  a  needy  stranger,  it  sometimes  happens  that 
the  poorer  priest  can  return  the  charity  done  him 
by  using  his  influence  in  other  directions  for  his 
benefactor.     Such  exchange  is  not  simony,  nor  is 
it  bribing,  but  it  is  sometimes  a  convenient  way 
of    getting    things,   which   are   thought   out  in 
America,   done  and  promoted  by  needy  subordi- 
nates in  Italy,   and  whilst  the  method  is  free 
probably  from  blame  of  dishonesty,  it  is  frequently 
open  to  the  service  of  conscious  or  unconscious  self- 
interest.     Moreover,  when  such  stipends  are  sent 
to  the  Ordinary  of  a  strange  diocese,  they  are 
more  likely  to  be  disposed  of  for  the  benefit  of 
priests  who   need  them,  and  thus  are  sustained 
poor  missions  whose  incumbents  rarely  receive  Mass 
intentions  from  other  sources.     In  this  way,  we 
understand,  the  Mission  Extension  Society  disposes 
of  many  intentions  through  the  bishops  in  needy 
places. 

The  exact  keeping  of  records  of  Mass  stipends 
according  to  the  form  suggested  by  this  new 
legislation  is  one  of  the  items  to  be  entered  on  the 
detailed  list  for  the  canonical  visitation  of  parishes. 

By  a  more  recent  decree  of  the  Cardinal  Prefect 
of  the  Congregation  of  Propaganda,  July  15, 1908, 
Mass  intentions  destined  for  the  support  of  mis- 
sionaries in  the  East  are  to  be  thus  regulated: 


226  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

(1)  They  may  be  forwarded  either  through  the 
Sacred  Congregation  of  Propaganda  or  the 
Apostolic  Delegates  credited  to  Eastern  countries, 
with  instructions  as  to  how  many  Masses  or 
stipends  should  be  given  to  the  prelates  or  priests 
within  their  jurisdiction. 

(2)  They  must  never  be  sent  to  lay  persons 
for  distribution. 

(3)  Nor  given  directly  to  the  priests  on  these 
Oriental  missions,  nor  to  the  Superiors  of  Mis- 
sionary Congregations,  nor  to  Eastern  prelates  or 
Vicars  patriarchal. 

(4)  They  may,  however,  be  forwarded  directly 
to  bishops  invested  with  ordinary  jurisdiction  in 
the  East  by  bishops  and  priests  to  relieve  the 
necessities  of  those  missionaries  only  who  are 
subject  to  them.  (Decree  of  March  18, 1908).  To 
safeguard  a  surplusage  of  intentions  in  any  one 
diocese  the  Apostolic  Delegate  must  be  notified  of 
the  number  sent  and  the  bishop  to  whom  sent. 

What  is  the  obligation  as  to  the  place  oj  the 
Mass? 

Donors  of  alms  for  Masses  may  specify  a  privi- 
leged altar,  or  a  special  church  or  altar  not 
privileged,  or  a  shrine-church. 

(1)  Privileged  Altar. 

(a)  The  obligation  is  discharged  by  a  Mass  on 
a  privileged  altar,  or  on  any  altar  by  a  priest  who 
enjoys  the  personal  privilege  of  a  privileged  altar. 


The  Offerings  for  Mass  227 

(b)  The  obligation  is  discharged  by  a  priest 
who,  in  good  faith,  celebrates  on  a  privileged 
altar,  but  through  some  defect,  like  the  substitu- 
tion of  a  saint's  Mass  for  a  Mass  of  requiem,  fails 
to  obtain  the  plenary  indulgence,  if  he  gain  and 
apply  to  the  intention  another  plenary  indulgence. 
Decree  of  the  Sacred  Congregation  of  Indulgences, 
February  22,  1847. 

(c)  The  obligation  is  not  discharged  by  a  Mass 
offered  on  a  non-privileged  altar,  even  though  the 
celebrant  obtain  and  apply  to  the  soul  a  plenary 
indulgence  gained,  for  example,  by  the  recitation 
of  the  prayer,  "En  Ego,"  after  Mass. 

(2)  A  special  Church  or  Altar. 

If  the  donor  determine  a  particular  church  or 
altar  because  of  a  special  devotion  to  a  saint,  or 
statue,  or  relics,  through  whose  intercession 
favors  have  been  already  received,  the  Mass  must 
be  celebrated  in  the  appointed  place. 

(3)  Shrine-churches. 

If  the  Mass  may  be  and  is  offered  in  above 
church,  the  obligation  is  obviously  cancelled.  As, 
however,  the  number  of  such  intentions  is  largely 
in  excess  of  every  possibility  of  discharge  in  the 
desired  place,  Benedict  XIV  recommends  that  a 
bulletin  be  posted  in  some  public  place  notifying 
the  faithful  that  all  the  Masses  cannot  be  offered 
at  the  shrine,  but  every  diligence  will  be  employed 
to  have  them  said  promptly  in  other  churches. 


228  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

In  the  absence  of  such  a  bulletin,  the  bishop  may 
order  the  transfer  of  the  extra  Masses,  because 
whilst  he  cannot  alter  the  intentions  of  the  donors, 
he  may  interpret  them  when  their  fulfillment  is 
hindered  by  an  impediment  of  law  or  fact. 

What  does  the  obligation  as  to  the  quality  of 
the  Mass  imply? 

It  implies  on  the  part  of  the  givers  of  the 
stipends  a  preference  for  a  Mass  for  the  dead,  or 
a  Mass  of  requiem,  or  a  Mass  for  the  living,  or  a 
votive  Mass,  or  a  Mass  in  honor  of  some  mystery 
or  saint,  or  a  solemn  or  a  chanted  Mass. 

(1)  Mass  far  the  dead. 

This  obligation  is  satisfied  by  any  Mass  of  a 
double  or  semi-double  rite,  even  though  it  be  not 
a  Mass  of  requiem  or  a  Mass  in  black  vestments. 
The  reason  is,  that  the  application  of  the  Mass  is 
one  factor;  its  rite  another.  If  a  Mass  of  requiem 
is  desired  the  rite  of  the  Mass  is  determined.  If 
the  offering  is  given  for  a  Mass  for  the  dead,  its 
application  is  the  chief  consideration,  and  as  every 
Mass,  independent  of  the  color  of  the  vestments, 
has,  substantially,  the  same  efficacy,  the  stipend  is 
satisfied  by  any  Mass. 

(2)  Mass  of  requiem. 

If  there  is  a  definite  wish  expressed  for  a  Mass 
of  a  requiem,  the  celebrant  is  obliged  not  only  to 
offer  it  for  the  dead,  but  to  say  a  Mass  of  requiem 
when  permitted  by  the  rubrics. 


The  Offerings  for  Mass  229 

(3)  Mass  for  the  Living. 

Every  Mass,  even  a  Mass  of  requiem,  is  adequate 
for  the  discharge  of  this  obligation,  'because  the 
special  fruit  of  the  sacrifice  which  is  sought  for 
the  intention  is  the  same  in  all  Masses. 

(4)  Votive  Mass. 

A  demand  for  a  votive  Mass  of  saint  or  mystery- 
is  not  satisfied  by  a  Mass  on  a  day  of  double  rite. 
The  priest  is  obliged  to  await  a  day  on  which  a 
votive  Mass  may  be  said  according  to  the  rubrics 
and  apply  it  according  to  the  intention  of  the 
donor  of  the  stipend. 

(5)  Mass  in  Honor  of  Saint  or  Mystery. 

If  a  votive  Mass  is  intended  and  understood,  it 
must  be  said.  If  the  wish  be  rather  for  a  Mass 
which  will  promote  the  honor  and  veneration  of 
the  saint  or  mystery  and  serve  as  a  thank-offering 
for  benefits  conferred,  the  most  convenient  Mass 
may  be  selected. 

(6)  Solemn,  Chanted  or  Low  Masses. 

In  executing  the  wish  of  a  donor  of  stipends 
care  must  be  taken  to  distinguish  between  a 
Solemn  Mass,  with  deacon  and  sub-deacoh7  a 
Chanted  Mass  and  a  read  or  Low  Mass.  They 
are  not  identical,  and  conformity  must  always  be 
sought  between  the  special  kind  of  Mass  and  the 
express  desire  of  the  donor. 


230  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

Can  a  Priest  accept  Stipends  for  more  than 
one  Mass  on  any  Day? 

Christmas  Day  alone  excepted,  a  priest  is  pro- 
hibited from  accepting  more  than  one  stipend  on 
any  day,  even  though  he  may  be  privileged  to 
offer  two  Masses  on  certain  days. 

When  and  where  did  this  prohibition  origi- 
nate? 

All  the  theologians  down  to  the  middle  of  the 
nineteenth  century  make  no  reference  to  it. 
Bouvier  and  Gousset,  as  recent  as  1840,  deny  it 
and  permit  a  dual  stipend  for  a  dual  Mass  in  the 
first  editions  of  their  Theologies,  although  the 
permission  is  reversed  in  the  later  editions.  As 
late  as  1858,  priests  in  many  dioceses  of  France 
were  accepting  in  good  faith  a  double  stipend  for 
two  Masses.  The  only  restriction  existing  from 
the  time  of  Alexander  II  (1061-1073)  was  that  a 
priest  could  not  celebrate  often  on  the  same  day 
merely  for  the  sake  of  the  increased  alms. 

The  prohibition  began  with  a  decree  of  the 
Sacred  Congregation  of  the  Council  (December 
19,  1835)  in  response  to  a  petition  of  a  priest  of 
one  parish  soliciting  the  privilege  of  duplicating, 
or  celebrating  two  Masses  on  certain  days  and 
asking  whether  appeal  must  be  made  to  the  Holy 
See  for  the  concession.  The  answer  is  in  the 
affirmative  for  ten  years,  with  the  proviso,  "that 
he  must  not  accept  a  stipend  for  the  second 


The  Offerings  for  Mass  231 

Mass,"  which  signifies  according  to  Ballerini  that 
a  stipend  is  permissible  for  the  first,  or  the  second 
Mass,  but  not  for  both. 

The  inspiration  and  norma  of  this  decision  was 
the  Brief  of  Benedict  XIV  (August  26,  1748) 
rigidly  excluding  both  stipend  and  gratuity  from 
the  triple  Mass  permitted  to  the  priests  of  Spain 
and  Portugal  on  All  Souls'  Day  (Nov.  2).  The 
exclusion  is  justified  by  the  desire  to  restrain 
avarice  and  silence  unjust  criticism  and,  therefore, 
when  a  plurality  of  Masses  is  allowed,  a  plurality 
of  stipends  must  be  prescinded. 

All  the  more  recent  legislation  of  the  Church 
has  confirmed  and  emphasized  this  decision. 

Are  there  any  exceptions  to  this  rule? 

Pius  IX,  May  24,  1870,  authorized  bishops  in 
missionary  countries  to  allow  priests  under  an  ex- 
ceptional stress  of  poverty  to  accept  a  double 
stipend.  Leo  XIII  mitigated  the  severity  of  the 
regulation  for  three  dioceses  in  Belgium — Namur, 
(Nov.  19,  1878),  for  five  years;  Tournay,  (Nov. 
29, 1880),  for  three  years;  Mechlin,  (Dec.  13, 1880), 
for  three  years.  In  the  first  instance  the  extra 
stipend  must  be  donated  to  the  Seminary,  in  the 
second,  to  religious  instruction  and  poor  curates, 
and  in  the  third,  to  Catholic  schools. 

When  the  second  Mass  entails  special  ex- 
trinsic labor  and  inconvenience,  is  an  extra 
stipend  allowed? 


232  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

A  decree  of  the  Sacred  Congregation  (May  23, 
1861)  consigns  to  the  prudent  judgment  of  the 
bishops  to  determine  whether  in  a  given  case  a 
priest  is  justified  in  accepting  a  special  remunera- 
tion for  the  exceptional  trouble  involved  in  a 
second  Mass.  In  this  instance,  he  is,  however, 
barred  from  accepting  the  stipend  for  the  appli- 
cation of  the  Mass. 

Bibliography:  Reichel,  Canon  Law,  1896;  S.  Many, 
S.  S.,  De  Missa,  1900;  Mechlin  Conferences,  1877,  p.  78; 
Synods  of  the  Diocese  af  Albany;  II  Council  of  Baltimore; 
Martene,  De  Antiquis  Ecclesiae  ritibus,  1788;  Bingham, 
Origines  Eccles.  1728;  Thomassin,  Discipline  de  l'Eglise, 
1866;  Mabillon,  Acta  Sanctorum  O.  S.  B.,  1672;  Benedict 
XIV,  De  Sacrificio  Missae,  Louvain,  1762;  Gasparri,  De 
Eucharistia,  Paris,  1897;  Homiletic  Review,  New  York, 
September,  1904,  p.  1097;  de  Berlendis,  De  Oblationibus 
ad  Altare,  Venice,  1743;  Noldin,  S.  J.,  Theologia  Moralis, 
1904;  Genicot,  S.  J.,  Theologia  Moralis,  1900;  Ecclesiasti- 
cal Review,  August,  1904,  February,  1909. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

WHERE  MASS   MAY   BE  CELEBRATED. 

How  is  that  place  distinguished  in  which 
Mass  is  allowed? 

It  is  either  Normal  and  Ordinary,  or  Extra- 
ordinary. The  Normal  and  Ordinary  is  the  place 
where  the  general  law  and  usage  of  the  Church 
permit  a  Mass  to  be  said. 

How  many  such  places  are  there? 

Three: 

(a)  A  consecrated  or  blessed  church  that  has 
not  forfeited  its  consecration,  or  benediction,  and 
is  not  under  interdict. 

(6)  A  public  or  semi-public  chapel  or  oratory. 

(c)  A  domestic  chapel  by  Papal  permission.  If 
judged  by  a  rigid  standard,  a  domestic  chapel  does 
not  fall  within  the  term  ordinary  place,  and, 
therefore,  requires  an  Episcopal  or  Pontifical 
license. 

What  is  an  extraordinary  place? 

A  place  outside  a  church  or  chapel,  in  which  it 
is  unlawful  to  celebrate  Mass  unless  by  special 
privilege,  or  from  urgent  necessity. 


234  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

Was  this  distinction  of  place  always  in  vogue 
in  the  Church? 

No.  It  began  to  exist  only  with  the  Council  of 
Trent. 

What  was  the  custom  prior  to  that  Council? 

In  the  age  of  persecution,  Mass  was  offered 
anywhere,  on  portable  altar  or  table.  St.  Dionysius 
of  Alexandria  (265)  with  a  suggestion  of  emotion 
testifies: 

"Every  place — the  field,  the  wilds,  the  ship,  the 
stable,  the  prison  became  a  temple  for  the  per- 
formance of  the  Sacred  Mysteries." 

After  the  persecutions,  the  military  camps, 
private  houses  and  the  rooms  of  the  sick  and 
dying,  frequently  and  with  moderate  restraint, 
witnessed  the  Holy  Sacrifice.  Priests  in  their 
journeyings  sacrificed  in  response  to  their  personal 
devotion.  Masses  in  the  homes  of  the  sick  and 
dying  became  such  an  abuse  that  many  bishops 
in  the  ninth  century  supplanted  them  with  the 
Dry  Mass.  (vide  p.  143). 

Practically,  the  whole  routine  and  regulation  of 
the  Mass  was  in  the  control  of  the  bishops.  Not 
only  did  they  enjoy  the  privilege  of  a  portable 
altar;  they  had  also  the  inherent  right  to  confer 
that  privilege  on  others  for  adequate  cause. 

Jointly  with  the  bishops,  all  Regulars,  Domini- 
cans, Franciscans,  etc.,  shared  the  privilege  of  a 
portable  altar,  which  authorized  them  to  say  Mass 


Where  Celebrated  235 

wherever  they  were,  in  any  becoming  place, 
always,  however,  as  the  decree  expresses  it,  "with- 
out prejudice  to  any  parochial  right." 

Relatively  to  the  Bishops,  what  was  the  effect 
of  the  Tridentine  Legislation? 

It  deprived  them  qualifiedly  of  the  power  of 
granting  permission  to  say  Mass  in  any  place 
external  to  churches  and  chapels,  and,  by  conse- 
quence, of  the  power  of  conferring  the  privilege 
of  a  portable  altar.  Henceforth,  the  Holy  See 
reserves  this  right  entirely  to  itself. 

What  is  the  significance  of  this  "Qualified" 
Deprivation? 

It  means,  that  although  bishops  have  been 
shorn  of  above  prerogative  so  far  as  conceding  a 
right  to  say  Mass  in  any  extraordinary  place,  per- 
petually, or  for  a  very  long  time  arbitrarily  and  at 
their  own  option,  they  are  yet  competent  to  grant 
such  permission  in  special  emergencies. 

What  are  these  Emergencies? 

A  ruined  church,  and  a  church  outgrown  by  its 
congregation;  an  outbreak  of  contagion  or  infec- 
tion; in  such  crises  as  earthquakes  and  freshets; 
on  a  journey,  when  tourists  of  a  sufficient  number 
would  otherwise  be  deprived  of  Mass;  on  shore  or 
at  a  port,  for  the  convenience  of  travellers  for  a 
similar  reason;  in  military  camps.  In  these  in- 
stances,  the  question  of  "necessity"  is  always 


236  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

involved,  and  a  question  relative  to  the  number  of 
participants,  who  must  be  more  than  one  or  a 
few.  It  is  generally  accepted  that  on  Sundays 
and  Holydays  of  obligation,  a  bishop's  right  is  con- 
clusive to  allow  a  Mass.  The  same  right  does 
not  exist  for  a  week-day  Mass  unless  legitimized 
by  a  serious  necessity. 

Must  the  celebrant  in  any  of  those  instances 
obtain  the  positive  permission  of  the  Bishop? 

Some  of  the  rubricians,  like  Reiffenstuel  and 
Quarti,  require  the  episcopal  consent  only  as  a 
matter  of  courtesy.  Others,  like  St.  Thomas,  St. 
Antonine,  St.  Alphonsus,  Suarez,  Gattico  and 
Cardinal  Petra,  teach  that  such  consent  is  manda- 
tory. This  is  the  more  probable  opinion,  to  be 
followed,  except: 

(a)  Where  a  legitimate  custom  to  the  contrary 
prevails. 

(6)  Where  the  case  is  so  urgent  as  to  preclude 
the  possibility  of  applying  for  a  permission. 

(c)  When  the  place  in  question  is  subject  to  no 
bishop. 

May  Mass  be  said  on  ship-board? 

Yes,  by  the  permission  of  an  Apostolic  Indult 
only.  Smooth  seas  and  absence  of  commotion  will 
not  alone  permit  a  Mass.  A  decree  of  the  Sacred 
Congregation  of  Rites,  March  4, 1904,  decides  that 
a  permission  to  say  Mass  cannot  be  issued  by  the 


Where  Celebrated  237 

would-be  celebrant's  bishop,  nor  by  the  bishop 
of  the  embarking  port,  nor  is  it  contained  in  the 
privilege  of  a  portable  altar.  A  legitimate  and 
demonstrable  custom  will,  however,  set  up  an 
exemption. 

By  a  decree,  June  30,  1908,  Pius  X  permits 
bishops  of  North  and  South  America,  Oceania  and 
Australia  whilst  on  a  journey  to  and  from  Rome 
to  celebrate  Mass  daily  on  the  sea,  if  the  place  of 
celebration  be  decorous  and  the  danger  of  spilling 
the  contents  of  the  chalice  eliminated,  and  as  a 
further  precaution  it  is  prescribed,  if  a  priest  is 
available,  he  will  assist  the  celebrant  in  cassock 
and  surplice. 

What  is  the  law  of  the  Church  regulating 
Mass  in  Mortuary  Chapels? 

(a)  A  Mass  is  prohibited  unless  the  space  of  a 
full  yard  intervenes  between  the  altar  and  the 
nearest  entombed  body. 

(b)  The  table  of  the  altar  therein  must  adhere 
to  solid  supports  and  the  altar  itself  fixed  per- 
manently in  one  place.  (Decrees,  January  12, 1899, 
and  June  19,  1908). 

What  is  the  so-called  privilege  of  a  Portable 
Altar? 

It  is  the  privilege  of  offering  the  Holy  Sacrifice 
in  any  becoming  place,  except  on  ship-board.  This 
is  not  identical  with  the  privilege  of  a  private 
chapel. 


238  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

Who  enjoy  this  privilege? 

Cardinals,  bishops,  protonotaries  participantes, 
not  protonotaries  ad  instar,  nor  protonotaries 
titulares,  or  honorarii,  and  the  auditors  of  the 
Rota. 

What  is  the  Status  oj  Regulars  in  respect  of 
the  Portable  Altar? 

The  privilege  of  pre-Tridentine  times  was  re- 
voked and  abrogated  by  the  Council  of  Trent. 
The  Jesuits  and  the  Mendicant  Orders,  subse- 
quently, obtained  a  modified  form  of  the  privilege 
in  the  region  only  of  their  pagan  missions,  fol- 
lowed by  the  Dominicans  in  Poland,  for  localities 
without  churches,  and  in  case  of  necessity. 

Seculars  and  Religious  in  missionary  countries, 
akin  to  our  condition  here,  are  invested  with  a 
restricted  sort  of  portable  altar  on  out-missions 
bereft  of  churches  or  chapels.  The  faculty  of  the 
Propaganda  de  Fide  is  granted  to  all  legitimate 
workers,  "of  celebrating  Mass  one  hour  before 
sun-rise,  and  another  after  noon-tide,  without  a 
server,  et  sub  dio  et  sub  terra,  in  the  open  and 
under  the  earth,  always,  however,  in  a  decent 
place." 

Bibliography:  Martene,  De  Antiquis  Eccles.  Ritibus; 
Gattico,  De  Usu  Altaris  portatilis;  De  Oratoriis  Domesticis, 
Romae,  1770;  Mansi,  Concilia;  Reiffenstuel,  De  Celebratione 
Missarum;  S.  Many,  S.  S.,  De  Missa. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE  NUMBER  OF  MASSES  TO  BE  SAID  EACH  DAY. 

Did  the  Custom  ever  exist  oj  saying  many 
Masses  each  day? 

In  the  fifth  and  sixth  centuries  Mass  was  said 
daily  throughout  the  Christian  world.  In  the 
seventh  century  the  custom  generally  prevailed  of 
sacrificing  frequently  each  day. 

Is  there  any  notable  example  of  this  frequent 
Celebration? 

Pope  Leo  III  (795-816)  according  to  a  con- 
temporary, Walafrid  Strabo,  offered  seven,  nine 
and  more  masses  daily. 

What  was  the  origin  oj  this  custom? 

It  began  with  the  usage  of  certain  churches  in 
Rome  of  honoring  special  feast-days,  and  having 
the  privilege  of  a  mid-night  Mass,  like  the  Nativity, 
on  Holy  Thursday,  Easter  and  Pentecost,  with  two 
or  more  solemn  Masses.  So  great  was  the  concourse 
of  worshippers  that  priests  were  permitted  to 
offer  many  private  Masses  on  these  days  to 
accommodate  them,  and  by  aquiescence,  the  cus- 
tom spread  of  saying  many  Masses  on  ordinary 
days. 


240  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

Was  there  any  restraint  of  this  Custom? 

The  earliest  existing  restraint  was  that  of  a 
decree  of  the  twelfth  Council  of  Toledo,  Spain 
(681)  censuring  those  priests  who  offered  daily 
many  Masses  but  consumed  the  Sacred  Species 
only  in  the  last. 

When  was  there  a  limitation  0/  the  number 
of  daily  Masses  offered? 

In  England,  under  King  Edgar  (957)  and  in 
Germany,  the  Council  of  Salegunstadt  (1022) 
issued  decrees  limiting  the  daily  Masses  to  three 
only. 

By  whom  was  the  restriction  imposed  of  one 
Mass  daily? 

Egbert,  the  Archbishop  of  York,  England  (735- 
771)  for  his  arch-diocese  was  the  first,  and  after 
him,  for  the  entire  Church,  Alexander  II  (1016- 
1073),  Innocent  III  (1198-1216)  and  Honorius 
III  (1216-1227). 

What  reason  did  Alexander  II  give  for  the 
sufficiency  oj  one  daily  Mass? 

Because  Christ  died  but  once  and  His  death 
was  sufficient  for  the  redemption  of  the  world. 

What  was  the  Cause  of  the  Prohibition  oj 
many  daily  Masses? 

To  remove  all  occasion  and  suspicion  of  avarice 
from  the  sacred  ministry,    The  acts  and  decrees 


Number  of  Masses  Each  Day        241 

of  Councils  in  the  twelfth  and  thirteenth  centuries 
are  resonant  with  the  note  of  correction  as  applied 
to  the  cupidity  of  certain  priests,  fed  and  gorged 
by  a  multiplicity  of  daily  Masses. 

By  what  terms  is  the  law  regulating  daily 
Masses  now  expressed? 

Except  on  the  Feast  of  the  Nativity  of  Our 
Lord,  a  priest  will  celebrate  only  one  Mass  daily, 
unless  authorized  by  necessity  to  say  two  Masses. 

What  constitutes  a  necessity  justifying  two 
Masses? 

According  to  the  opinion  of  specialists  and  the 
decisions  of  the  Sacred  Congregations  the  follow- 
ing conditions  are  required: 

(1)  When  a  priest  has  the  care  of  two  parishes 
so  far  apart  either  by  actual  distance,  or  by  reason 
of  the  hardship  of  the  road,  that  all  the  people 
cannot  assemble  in  the  same  church,  or  when  the 
faithful  of  one  parish  are  so  scattered  that  they 
cannot  be  convened  together  at  the  same  time,  or 
when  a  congregation  outnumbers  the  capacity  of 
the  parish  church,  and  if  perchance,  the  church 
is  ample  to  accommodate  all,  the  exigency  of  a 
second  Mass  is  allowed  to  exist  if  all  cannot  attend 
at  the  same  hour.  It  is  not,  however,  allowed 
those  who  wish  to  hear  Mass  in  a  private  chapel, 
although  sometimes  granted  nuns  of  a  strict 
cloister. 


242  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

(2)  If  there  be  no  other  priest  who  is  com- 
petent to  offer  an  additional  Mass  required  by  the 
people,  that  the  precept  of  hearing  Mass  may  be 
discharged  without  excessive  inconvenience. 

(3)  The  extra  Mass  in  question  is  confined  to 
a  Sunday  and  a  Holyday  of  obligation,  when  the 
duty  of  hearing  Mass  is  obligatory.  In  a  few 
instances  it  is  also  allowed  on  suppressed  feasts 
because  of  a  long-standing  custom. 

What  distance  and  how  many  people  are 
sufficient  Jor  a  second  Mass? 

By  a  decree  of  January  12,  1847,  a  distance  of 
about  one  mile  and  the  convenience  of  about 
twenty  persons  are  the  standard  legitimizing  a 
second  Mass.  Decisions  are  also  extant  declaring 
under  special  circumstances,  twelve  people  and 
one-half  mile  sufficient,  although  the  difficulty  of 
rendering  a  definite  opinion  has  been  admitted  by 
the  Holy  See. 

Who  is  the  authority  to  determine  the  exi- 
gency of  a  second  Mass? 

It  resides  entirely  in  the  Episcopal  authority  of 
each  diocese. 

How  is  this  privilege  regulated  in  the  United 
States? 

It  must  emanate  from  the  bishop;  it  must  be 
renewed  each  year,  and  it  must  be  considered  as  a 
personal  privilege  attaching  to  the  priest,  and  not 


Number  of  Masses  Each  Day        243 

to  any  special  church,  although  in  Belgium  the 
reverse  obtains  and  the  privilege  is  local,  not 
personal. 

What  is  to  be  held  regarding  a  custom  mini- 
mizing the  necessity  which  alone  can  authorize 
a  second  Mass? 

The  general  law  of  the  Church  demands  a 
qualified  necessity,  and  declares  an  indifference  to, 
or  a  neglect  of  this  question  of  necessity  an  abuse 
to  be  eliminated.  In  measuring  the  exigency, 
however,  it  is  sufficient  if  it  be  moral  and  practical 
with  due  reference  to  existing  conditions.  The  dis- 
tracting and  severe  strain  of  modern  industrial 
and  economic  life  in  cities,  and  a  recognized  and 
confessed  laxity  in  the  full  observance  of  Church 
laws  mitigate  more  or  less  the  severity  of  the 
standard  requirements,  modify  the  necessity  and 
broaden  the  privilege  of  the  priest  to  provide  an 
extra  Mass  for  a  people  who  might  neglect  it  if 
their  convenience  be  not  consulted. 

Is  a  second  Mass  allowed  to  provide  the 
Viaticum  for  the  Dying? 

If  a  priest  be  fasting,  a  second  Mass  is  allowed. 
If  his  fast  be  broken,  the  nearly  unanimous 
authority  of  theologians  is  against  a  second  Mass, 
and  yet  Genicot,  S.  J.  (p.  251)  calls  the  opposite 
opinion  probable  in  the  case  of  a  priest  who  has 
consumed  the  ablutions  in  his  first  Mass. 


244  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

Is  there  any  place  where  three  Masses  are 
licit  on  Sundays  and  Holydays  of  Obligation? 

By  a  decree  of  December  20,  1879,  the  arch- 
bishop of  Mexico  was  authorized  to  grant  such 
permission  when  necessary. 

What  are  the  exceptions  to  this  General  Law 
of  one  daily  Mass? 

(1)  The  ancient  custom  of  three  Masses  on 
Christmas  is  still  retained  in  the  Western  Church. 
Regarding  this  custom,  we  observe: 

(a)  The  right  of  a  triple  Mass  is  a  privilege 
not  a  duty. 

(6)  The  same  Mass  cannot  be  repeated,  which 
also  applies  to  priests  who,  because  of  some  special 
infirmity,  are  allowed  to  say  every  day  a  votive 
Mass  of  the  Blessed  Virgin. 

(c)  A  stipend  may  be  accepted  for  each  Mass 
on  Christmas,  which  is  a  deviation  from  the  ordi- 
nary discipline. 

(d)  The  Eastern  Church  knows  nothing  of  the 
triple  Christmas  Mass.  Rome  has  repeatedly  re- 
fused the  privilege  to  those  Orientals  who  have 
accepted  her  primacy. 

(2)  In  the  old  kingdom  of  Aragon,  comprising 
Roussilon  or  Perpignan  in  France,  Catalonia  and 
Valentia  in  Spain,  and  the  island  of  Majorca,  a 
very  ancient  privilege  was  enjoyed  on  All  Souls  of 
three  Masses  by  Regulars  and  two  by  the  Secular 


Number  of  Masses  Each  Day        245 

clergy.  By  a  brief,  dated  August  26,  1748, 
Benedict  XIV  not  only  confirmed  but  enlarged  it, 
and  made  it  applicable  to  Spain  and  Portugal  and 
all  their  colonies  at  that  date  in  the  Old  and  New 
World.  These  include  the  so-called  Latin  countries 
of  South  America,  even  those  now  emancipated 
from  Spanish  and  Portuguese  dominion.  This 
supplementary  concession  gives  license  to  both 
Regular  and  Secular  clergy  to  celebrate  three 
Masses  on  the  Feast  of  All  Souls.  This  privilege 
is  subject  to  the  following  restrictions: 

(a)  The  Masses  must  be  offered  for  all  the 
faithful  departed. 

(6)  No  stipend,  direct,  indirect  or  spontaneous 
is  legitimate  for  these  Masses. 

(c)  The  concession  is  restricted  to  resident 
priests  only. 

(d)  These  Masses  may  continue  until  two  hours 
after  noon. 

(e)  More  recent  decisions  thus  fix  the  order  of 
the  Masses:  The  first  is  that  of  All  Souls;  the 
second,  as  on  an  anniversary;  the  third,  the  missa 
quotidiana  or  daily  Mass.  If  only  one  is  said,  it 
must  be  the  first.  If  two,  the  first  must  be  of 
All  Souls  and  the  second  is  optional. 

In  all  other  places  not  comprised  in  this  decree, 
the  celebration  of  more  than  one  Mass  on  All  Souls 
is  declared  an  abuse  which  must  be  corrected. 


246  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

(3)  The  extraordinary  privilege  given  the 
archbishop  of  Mexico  already  noted. 

(4)  The  intervention  of  a  necessity  based  on  a 
paucity  of  priests,  and  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the 
faithful,  making  licit  in  instances  before  explained 
the  celebration  of  two  Masses  on  the  same  day. 

Bibliography:  S.  Many,  S.  S.,  De  Missa;  Mansi,  Concilia, 
Vol.  18,  Decreta  Authentica;  Benedict  XIV,  De  Sacrificio 
Missae,  Louvain  1762;  Gasparri,  De  Eucharistia. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE  TIME  OF  CELEBRATING   MASS. 


§  1— DAY. 

On  what  days  in  the  Primitive  Church  was 
Mass  offered? 

In  the  beginning,  Sunday  or  the  Lord's  day, 
the  first  of  the  week,  was  the  only  liturgic  day 
when  Mass  was  offered.  Then  came  Wednesdays 
and  Fridays  with  their  fast  and  stations  and 
sacrifice.  Afterwards,  the  Eastern  Church  added 
Saturdays  to  these,  although  down  to  the  fifth 
century,  Rome  and  Alexandria  forbade  the  Satur- 
day Mass,  because  the  Saturday  before  the  first 
Easter  was  a  day  of  fast  and  seclusion  for  the 
Apostles.  By  the  fifth  century  the  custom  of 
saying  Mass  daily  had  become  universal. 

What  is  the  modern  custom  in  the  Latin 
Church? 

In  the  Latin  rite,  every  day  of  the  year  is 
liturgic  or  mass-day,  except  Good  Friday,  abso- 
lutely, and  Holy  Thursday  and  Holy  Saturday, 
with  restrictions.  From  these  restrictions  Holy 
Thursday  is  more  frequently  exempt  than  Holy 
Saturday. 


248  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

What  is  the  usage  according  to  the  Ambrosian 
Rite  of  Milan? 

For  some  time  ante-dating  the  twelfth  century 
the  custom  has  existed  of  prohibiting  the  cele- 
bration of  Mass  on  the  Fridays  of  Lent,  and  also 
of  excluding  all  Saints'  days  from  the  same  season. 
St.  Charles  Borromeo  did  not  originate  this  custom. 
He  merely  approved  and  enforced  it.  By  a  decree 
of  February  23,  1897,  the  Holy  See,  in  response 
to  a  petition  of  the  Milanese  clergy  now  permits 
a  Mass  in  honor  of  St.  Joseph,  March  19,  and  of 
the  Annunciation,  March  25,  on  their  respective 
days,  and  even  when  these  festivals  fall  on  Friday. 

What  is  the  accepted  practice  according  to 
the  Oriental  Rite? 

Within  the  time  of  the  Lenten  fast  Mass  can  be 
said  only  on  Saturdays  and  Sundays.  On  the  re- 
maining five  days  of  each  quadragesimal  week,  a 
Mass  of  the  Presanctified  is  alone  permitted  similar 
to  our  Good  Friday  service,  when  there  is  only  a 
consumption  of  sacred  Hosts  consecrated  on  the 
preceding  Sunday.  This  custom  began  with  the 
Council  of  Laodicea  (314)  and  is  binding  on  all 
Orientals  in  communion  with  the  Church  of  Rome. 
The  patriarchal  council  of  the  Melchites  (1835) 
decreed  it  as  lawful  to  accept  a  stipend  for  a  Mass 
of  the  Presanctified. 

7s  there  any  departure  from  this  custom 
among  Orientals? 


The  Time  of  Celebrating  Mass      249 

There  are  two  exceptions.  The  Maronites  no 
longer  follow  this  ritual  of  the  Eastern  Church, 
having  supplanted  it  with  the  Roman  usage  of  a 
Mass  of  the  Presanctified  only  on  Good  Friday, 
and  Benedict  XIV  indulged  the  Graeco-Italians  to 
the  extent  of  allowing  them  the  privilege  of  a  full, 
complete  Mass  on  side-altars  in  parish  churches, 
but  insisted  that  the  Mass  of  the  Presanctified  must 
be  offered  on  the  high  altar  on  the  days  pre- 
scribed. 

§  2— HOUR. 

At  what  Hour  was  Mass  Celebrated  in  the 
early  age  of  the  Church? 

In  the  era  of  persecutions,  the  dominant  thought 
was  to  celebrate  the  Mass  at  an  hour  when  danger 
of  discovery,  or  intrusion  by  an  enemy  would  be 
reduced  to  a  minimum.  It  was  the  age  of  the 
martyrs,  and  religious  life  was  conditioned  by 
pagan  hostility.  For  this  reason,  Mass  was 
ordinarily  celebrated  either  late  into  the  night,  or 
very  early  in  the  morning.  Hence  Pliny's  and 
Tertullian's  testimony  of  "Christians  assembling 
before  the  dawn." 

With  the  return  of  peace,  Mass  was  offered  on 
Sundays  and  non-fast  days  in  the  morning  hours 
before  noon  and  usually  uhora  tertia"  or  9  o'clock. 
On  fast  days  at  the  hour  when  the  fast  could  be 
broken,  not  before.  The  rationale  of  this  practice 
was  to   avoid   the  incongruity  of  celebrating  a 


250  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

mystery  of  joy  and  refreshment,  typified  in  the 
Mass,  during  a  time  of  penance  and  sorrow. 
Hence,  in  the  Lenten  season,  Mass  was  not  said 
till  the  evening,  and  on  other  fast  days  the  hour 
of  3  p.  m.  was  the  liturgic  hour. 

Midnight  Mass  was  the  accepted  custom  at 
Christmas,  as  it  is  now;  the  night  of  Easter, 
immediately  following  Holy  Saturday;  Pentecost; 
St.  John  the  Baptist;  the  Sundays  after  the  four 
quatuor  tenses,  when  Holy  Orders  were  conferred 
by  decree  of  Pope  Gelasius  (492-496);  on  all  great 
vigils,  such,  for  example,  as  the  night  preceding 
every  Sunday  of  the  year. 

This  was  the  rule  regulating  public  Masses. 
Private  Masses  were  permitted  at  any  hour  of  the 
day,  before  and  after  noon,  evening  and  after 
Compline.  The  night,  however,  was  a  prohibited 
time.  Even  on  fast  days  a  private  Mass  was 
allowed  as  early  as  9  a.  m.  without  a  violation  of 
the  fast,  which  led  the  Greeks  to  accuse  the 
Latins  of  trespassing  on  the  fast. 

In  the  time  of  St.  Thomas  Aquinas  (1224, 1274) 
the  hour  for  the  beginning  of  Mass  was  fixed  at 
the  dawn,  and  just  prior  to  the  Council  of  Trent 
(1545,  1564)  the  time  limit  for  its  finishing  was 
determined  at  mid-day. 

What  are  the  Rubrical  Mass  hours  now? 
The  Missal  thus  enjoins:     "A  private  Mass  can 
be  said  any  hour  between  dawn  and  noon,  Matins 


The  Time  of  Celebrating  Mass      251 

and  Lauds  prefacing."  The  Solemn  or  Conventual 
Mass  is  subject  to  the  same  limitation  with  the 
canonical  hour  of  Tierce  preceding. 

What  is  the  meaning  of  Dawn? 

Dawn  or  Aurora  is  the  interval  between  the 
first  appearance  of  light  and  sun-rise,  as  twilight 
or  evening  is  the  cleavage  between  sun-set  and 
night. 

When  does  the  Light  of  Dawn  begin  to  ap- 
pear? 

When  the  sun  in  its  ascension  is  below  the 
horizon  eighteen  degrees.  Twilight  endures  until 
the  sun,  going  down,  exceeds  eighteen  degrees 
below  the  horizon. 

Is  the  Dawn  uniform? 

By  no  means.  Its  coming  and  duration  vary 
with  latitude,  and  places  in  the  same  latitude  will 
change  with  the  season.  There  are  localities  be- 
yond the  fiftieth  degree  of  latitude  where,  for 
weeks  and  months,  the  dawn  either  synchronizes 
with  mid-night,  or  is  abnormally  delayed.  To 
illustrate:  in  Belgium,  from  May  26  to  July  19, 
the  aurora  or  dawn-light  shines  through  the  entire 
night,  and  in  mid-winter  does  not  appear  until 
long  after  its  appearance  in  lower  latitudes.  In 
the  first  instance,  Mass  may  begin  at  mid-night, 
and  in  the  second,  at  5  a.m.,  although  this  hour 
may  ante-date  the  dawn  by  two  hours  or  more. 


252  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

As  a  practical  regulation  is  not  this  determi- 
nation of  the  Dawn  a  bit  of  guess-work? 

It  is  scientifically  established  by  astronomers, 
and  many  diocesan  directories  publish  their  find- 
ings for  the  guidance  of  priests  in  the  celebration 
of  Mass  and  the  recitation  of  the  Divine  Office. 

In  practice  what  is  the  exact  meaning  oj 
these  restrictive  Mass  hours? 

The  meaning  is,  according  to  Wapelhorst  and 
the  theologians,  that  the  time  being  computed 
morally,  Mass  is  not  to  be  finished  before  the 
dawn,  nor  begun  after  the  noon  hour. 

Is  there  any  margin  oj  time  jixed  by  author- 
ity in  excess  of  these  hours? 

By  decree  of  Benedict  XIII,  December  20, 1724, 
permission  was  granted  for  the  city  of  Rome  to 
begin  the  celebration  of  Mass  twenty  minutes 
before  the  dawn,  and  the  same  time  after  noon. 
This  privilege  was  afterwards  extended  to  the 
dioceses  of  the  Roman  province,  and  now  by  cus- 
tom and  the  opinion  of  experts  is  interpreted  as 
belonging  to  the  whole  Church. 

At  what  Hour  is  Mass  alloived  in  the  Arctic 
Regions? 

In  the  summer  season,  in  places  adjacent  to  the 
Poles,  the  unsetting  sun  remains  for  weeks  and 
months  above  the  horizon  and  furnishes  an  un- 
ending day.     Within  that  period,  Mass  may  begin 


The  Time  of  Celebrating  Mass      253 

at  the  minute  which  corresponds  with  mid-night 
and  at  any  subsequent  time  for  twelve  hours,  or 
until  noon.  It  cannot  begin,  however,  before  mid- 
night because  it  would  trespass  on  a  preceding 
day.  The  noon  hour  is  determined  by  the  transit  of 
the  sun  across  the  local  meridian,  with  the  addition 
or  subtraction  of  time  equation  to  get  the  average 
or  medium  time,  and  mid-night  will  fall  twelve 
hours  after  such  reckoning. 

In  the  winter  season  of  the  same  region  there 
is  perpetual  night  for  months,  with  or  without  a 
dawn,  dependent  on  the  fact  whether  the  sun  is 
eighteen  degrees  or  more  below  the  horizon.  Mid- 
day may  then  be  determined  either  by  the  efful- 
gence of  the  dawn,  or  better,  by  the  observation 
of  the  stars.  This  determined,  the  other  hours 
may  be  fixed.  The  perplexing  difficulty,  however, 
is  that  there  is  no  sunrise  nor  aurora  to  usher  in 
a  new  day.  To  solve  this  puzzle,  the  Sacred 
Congregation  of  Rites,  by  a  decision,  November 
2,  1634,  thus  instructed:  "In  those  regions  lack- 
ing an  aurora  or  dawn,  the  morning  hour  is  to  be 
reckoned  morally,  as  at  the  beginning  of  the  civil 
or  ordinary  day,  when  men  rise  for  their  accustomed 
occupations  according  to  the  accepted  custom  of 
these  regions." 

How  many  approved  Methods  of  Computing 
Time  exist? 

Four:  By  the  sun  which  gives  a  variable  solar 
time;  by  a  time  equation  which  gives  a  medium 


254  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

time;  by  law  which  gives  a  legal  time;  and  by  an 
hour  zone  which  gives  a  zonary  time. 

Does  the  Church  require  an  Observance  of 
any  one  of  these  Methods  to  the  Exclusion  of 
the  others? 

For  the  celebration  of  Mass,  the  recitation  of 
the  Divine  Office  and  the  regulation  of  fasts,  the 
Church  permits  entire  freedom  in  the  selection  of 
any  one  of  these  methods. 

Is  this  regulation  and  definition  of  Liturgic 
Mass  hours  the  appointment  of  a  Divine  or  an 
Ecclesiastical  Law? 

It  is  exclusively  the  result  of  an  ecclesiastical 
law,  and  therefore  admits  of  exception  under 
Church  authoritv. 

Has  the  Church  established  any  exception  to 
the  general  law  requiring  Mass  to  be  said  be- 
tween Dawn  and  Mid-day? 

The  Church  allows  the  following  exceptions: 

(1)  A  Conventual  or  Solemn  High  Mass  at  mid- 
night on  the  feast  of  the  Nativity.  This  privilege 
does  not  include  a  private  or  Low  Mass  at  the 
same  hour,  and  if  such  be  said,  it  is  declared  an 
abuse  and  bishops  are  enjoined  to  be  vigilant  for 
its  elimination.  Many  religious  communities, 
however,  are  privileged  to  have  a  Low  Mass  in 
their  chapels  at  mid-night  of   Christmas.     More 


The  Time  of  Celebrating  Mass      255 

recent  legislation  thus  fixes  the  status  of  this  mid- 
night Mass: 

By  a  decree  of  the  Sacred  Congregation  of  the 
Holy  Office,  dated  August  1,  1907,  his  Holiness 
Pius  X,  "in  order  to  encourage  the  piety  of  the 
faithful,  and  to  excite  in  them  feelings  of  grati- 
tude on  account  of  the  ineffable  mystery  of  the 
Incarnation  of  the  Divine  Word,"  grants  that  in 
each  and  every  enclosed  convent  of  nuns,  and  in 
other  religious  institutes,  pious  houses,  and  clerical 
seminaries,  possessing  a  public  or  private  oratory 
with  the  right  of  permanently  reserving  the 
Blessed  Sacrament,  the  privilege  shall  be  enjoyed 
yearly,  henceforth  and  forever,  of  celebrating 
three  Masses  (or,  if  more  convenient,  one  Mass 
only)  during  the  night  of  the  Nativity  of  Our 
Lord,  and  of  giving  Holy  Communion  to  all  who 
devoutly  wish  it.  Moreover,  his  Holiness  declares 
that  the  devout  hearing  of  this  Mass  (or  these 
Masses)  shall  count  for  all  present  as  a  fulfillment 
of  the  obligation  of  hearing  Mass  according  to  the 
law  of  the  Church. 

(2)  Cardinals,  bishops  and  protonotaries  partici- 
pantes  are  allowed  to  say  Mass  a  full  hour  before 
and  after  the  legitimate  time  limit. 

(3)  Missionary  priests  in  the  place  of  their 
missions,  and  secular  priests  in  missionary 
countries,  such  as  the  United  States,  have  the 
same  lee-way  of  an  extra  hour,  which  means  that 


256  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

Mass  may  be  begun  one  hour  before  the  dawn,  or 
at  any  time  before  1  p.  m.,  although  it  is  not  con- 
cluded till  after  1  o'clock. 

(4)  Special  churches  by  extraordinary  Papal 
permission,  like  Sc.n  Jeronymo,  the  Royal,  in 
Madrid  (Spain)  where  the  Spanish  kings  are 
crowned,  may  have  Mass  not  later  than  2  p.  m.  on 
Sundays  and  Holydays,  and  St.  Andrews  of  New 
York  City  at  3  a.  m. 

(5)  Although  the  theologians,  notably  Ballerini 
and  Noldin,  dispute  whether  the  Council  of  Trent 
withdrew  the  privilege  given  the  Regulars  of  the 
Mendicant  Orders  in  pre-Tridentine  times  of  cele- 
brating Mass  two  hours  after  mid-night  and  mid- 
day, the  decree  of  the  Council  (Session  XXII)  and 
the  Bull  of  Clement  XI,  December  15,  1703,  seem 
to  give  a  verdict  against  the  Regulars.  St. 
Liguori  (No.  342)  affirms  and  again  (De  Privilegiis, 
no.  122)  holds  the  opinion  as  doubtful.  The  ques- 
tion, however,  is  invested  with  only  an  academic 
interest  and  has  little  practical  value,  because 
many  leading  theologians,  like  De  Lugo,  Aversa, 
Dicastillo  and  Narbona  contend,  that  the  privilege 
granted  the  Regulars  by  Pope  Eugene  IV  (1431- 
1447)  of  saying  Mass  three  hours  after  noon  is 
still  unrevoked,  and  Gregory  XIII,  by  Bull  of  May 
9,  1578,  allows  by  special  favor  the  Jesuits 
to  say  Mass  one  hour  before  the  dawn  and  the 
same  after  noon,  if  they  are  prevented  by  some 


The  Time  of  Celebrating  Mass      257 

legitimate  impediment  from  celebrating  Mass  at 
the  proper  time,  and  providing  further  that  they 
obtain  the  permission  of  their  General  or  his 
representative,  and  Pius  "VI,  by  decree  of  January 
14,  1783,  granted  the  Congregation  of  Purity  the 
privilege  of  celebrating  two  hours  before  the  dawn 
and  after  the  noon  time.  By  an  old  accepted 
axiom  of  "communication  of  privileges"  all  Regulars 
may  legitimately  avail  themselves  of  these  dispen- 
sations. 

(6)  In  this  law  determining  Mass  hours, 
bishops  may  for  special  reasons  dispense  either 
individual  priests  for  life,  or  particular  churches 
and  chapels  in  perpetuity.  They  cannot,  however, 
apply  the  dispensation  to  an  entire  diocese  in  per- 
petuum. 

(7)  Whilst  it  is  true  that  no  usage  can  contra- 
vene the  rubrics  of  the  Missal,  it  is  also  true  that 
this  particular  rubric  prescribing  the  liturgic  time 
does  not  bind  by  a  positive,  or  permanent  insis- 
tence. Therefore,  a  custom  clothed  with  the 
requisite  conditions  at  variance  with  it  may  be 
followed. 

(8)  As  every  Church  law  is  constructive  rather 
than  destructive  of  piety,  there  may  happen  con- 
tingencies of  the  graver  sort,  as  for  example,  the 
needs  of  a  large  part  of  a  congregation  to  hear 
Mass  or  a  sermon,  the  conferring  of  Sacred  Orders, 
the  Consecration  of  a  Host  to  be  given  the  dying 


258  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

as  a  Viaticum,  or  a  priest  delayed  on  his  journey 
beyond  the  proper  hour,  when  the  hearing  of 
Mass  is  de  praecepto,  in  which  instances  Mass 
may  precede  or  follow  the  ordered  time  by  a 
greater  or  less  interval. 

Bibliography:  Migne,  Vol.  VI;  Duchesne,  Origines  du 
culte  chretien;  Bruns,  Concilia;  Cavalieri,  Opera  Liturgica, 
1764;  Flammarion,  Popular  Astronomy;  Genicot,  S.  J. 
Theologia  Moralis;  De  Herdt,  Sacrae  Liturgiae  Praxis; 
Decreta  Authentica;  Martene,  De  Antiquis  Eccles.  Ritibus; 
St.  Alphonsus  de  Liguori,  Theologia  Moralis;  S.  Many,  S.  S, 
De  Missa. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

THE  STRUCTURE  OF  THE  MASS. 


The  Asperges. 


Antiphona.  Asperges  me, 
Domine,  hyssopo,  et  mun- 
dabor :  lavabis  me,  et  super 
nivem   dealbabor. 


Psalmus.  Miserere  mei, 
Deus,  secundum  magnam 
misericordiam  tuam. 

V.     Gloria  Patri,  etc. 


Antiphona.        Asperges 


me. 


At  hem.  Thou  shalt 
<sprinkle  me  with  hyssop, 
O  Lord,  and  I  shall  be 
cleansed:  Thou  shalt  wash 
me,  and  I  shall  be  made 
whiter  than  snow. 

Psalm.  Have  mercy  on 
me,  O  God,  according  to 
Thy  great  mercy. 

V.     Glory  be,  etc. 

Anthem.  Thou  shalt 
sprinkle  me. 


The  Priest,  being  returned  to  the  foot  of  the  Altar, 

says: 

V.     Ostende      nobis,         V.     Show  us,  O  Lord, 
Domine,  misericordiam  tu-      Thy  mercy, 
am. 

R.    Et  salutare  tuum  da  R.     And    grant    us    thy 

nobis.  salvation. 

V.    Domine,  exaudi  ora-  V.     O    Lord,    hear    my 

tionem  meam,  prayer, 

R.     Et  clamor  meus  ad  R.    And  let  my  cry  come 

te  veniat.  unto  thee. 

V.     Dominus  vobiscum.  V.     The  Lord  be  with 

you. 

R.    Et  cum  spiritu  tua.  R.    And  with  thy  spirit 


260 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


Or  emus. 

Exaudi  nos,  Domine 
sancte.  Pater  Omnipotens, 
seterne  Deus :  et  mittere 
digneris  sanctum  angelum 
tuum  de  coelis,  qui  custodi- 
at,  foveat,  protegat,  visitet, 
atque  defendat  omnes  hab- 
itantes  in  hoc  habitaculo. 
Per  Christum  Dominum 
nostrum.     Amen. 

From  Easter  to  Whitsunday  inclusively,  instead  of  the  foregoing 
Anthem,  the  following  is  sung,  and  Alleluia  is  added  to  the 
V.  (Ostende  nobis),  and  also  to  its  R.  (Et  salutare). 


Let  us  pray. 

Hear  us,  O  holy  Lord, 
almighty  Father,  eternal 
God :  and  vouchsafe  to 
send  thy  holy  angel  from 
heaven,  to  guard,  cherish, 
protect,  visit,  and  defend 
all  that  are  assembled  in 
this  house.  Through  Christ 
our  Lord.    Amen. 


Antiphona,  Vidi  aquam 
egredientem  de  templo  a 
latere  dextro,  Alleluia:  et 
omnes  ad  quos  pervenit 
aqua  ista  salvi  facti  sunt, 
et  dicent,  Alleluia. 

Psalmus.  Confitemini 
Domino,  quoniam  bonus : 
quoniam  in  sseculum  miser- 
icordia  ejus.     Gloria,  etc. 


Anthem.  I  saw  water 
flowing  from  the  right  side 
of  the  temple,  Alleluia: 
and  all  to  whom  that  water 
came  were  saved,  and  they 
shall  say,  Alleluia. 

Psalm.  Praise  the  Lord, 
for  he  is  good :  for  his 
mercy  endureth  forever. 
Glorv.  etc. 


Ordinary  of  the  Mass. 

The  Priest  begins  at  the  foot  of  the  Altar. 


In  nomine  Patris,  et 
Filii.  et  Spiritus  Sancti. 
Amen. 

S.  Introibo  ad  altare 
Dei. 

M.  Ad  Deum,  qui  lseti- 
ficat  juventutem  meam. 

Psalmus  xlii. 


In  the  name  of  the 
Father,  and  of  the  Son, 
and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Amen. 

P.  I  will  go  unto  the 
altar  of  God. 

A.  To  God,  who  giveth 
joy  to  my  youth. 

Psalm  xlii. 


Omitted  in  Masses  for  the  Dead. 


The  Structure  of  the  Mass 


261 


S.  Judica  me,  Deus,  et 
discerne  causam  meam  de 
Sfente  non  sancta :  ab  homi- 
ne  iniquo  et  doloso  erue 
me. 

M.  Quia  hi  es,  Deus, 
fortitudo  mea.  quare  me 
repulisti  ?  et  quare  tristis 
ineedo  dum  affligit  me  ini- 
micus.  ? 

S.  Emitte  lucem  tuam 
et  veritatem  tuam :  ipsa 
me  deduxerunt  et  adduxe- 
runt  in  montem  sanctum 
tuum.  et  in  tabernacula  tua. 

M.  Et  introibo  ad  altare 
Dei :  ad  Deum,  qui  lsetificat 
juventutem  meam. 

S.  Confitebor  tibi  in 
cithara  Deus,  Deus  me- 
ns: quare  tristis  es,  anima 
mea?  et  quare  eonturbas 
me? 

M.  Spera  in  Deo.  quon- 
iam  adhuc  confitebor  illi 
salutare  vultus  mei,  et 
Deus  mens. 

S.  Gloria  Patri,  et  Filio, 
et  Spiritui  Sancto. 

M.  Sicut  erat  in  prin- 
cipio,  et  nunc,  et  semper, 
et  in  specula  sseculorum. 
Amen. 


S. 
Dei. 


Introibo    ad     Altare 


P.  Judge:  me,  O  God, 
and  distinguish  my  cause 
from  the  nation  that  is  not 
holy :  deliver  me  from  the 
unjust  and  deceitful  man. 

A.  For  thou,  O  God, 
art  my  strength,  why  hast 
thou  cast  me  off  ?  and  why 
do  I  go  sorrowful  whilst 
the  enemy  afflicteth  me? 

P.  Send  forth  thy  light 
and  thy  truth:  they  have 
conducted  me  and  brought 
me  unto  thy  holy  mount, 
and  into  thy  tabernacles. 

A.  And  I  will  go  unto 
the  altar  of  God :  to  God, 
who  giveth  joy  to  my 
youth. 

P.  I  will  praise  thee  on 
the  harp,  O  God,  my  God : 
why  art  thou  sorrowful,  O 
mv  soul?  and  why  dost 
thou  disquiet  me? 

A.  Hope  in  God,  for  I 
will  still  give  praise  to  him : 
who  is  the  salvation  of  my 
countenance,  and  my  God. 

P.  Glory  be  to  the 
Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and 
to  the  Holy  Ghost. 

A.  As  it  was  in  the  be- 
ginning, is  now,  and  ever 
shall  be,  world  without 
end.     Amen. 

P.  I  will  go  unto  the 
altar  of  God. 


262 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


M.    Ad  Deum,  qui  laeti- 
ficat  juventutem  meam. 

S.    Adjutorium  nostrum 
in  nomine  Domini, 

M.     Qui  fecit  coelum  et 
terram. 


A.    To  God,  who  giveth 
joy  to  my  youth. 

P.      Our   help   is   in  the 
name  of  the  Lord. 

A.       Who     hath     made 
heaven  and  earth. 


Then,  joining  his  hands  and  humbly  bozving 
dozvit,  he  says  the  Confession. 

S.     Confiteor  Deo  om-  P.     I  confess     to     Al- 

nipotenti,  etc.  mighty  God,  etc. 

M.     Misereatur  tui  om-  A.     May  Almighty   God 

nipotens  Deus,  et  dimissis  have  mercy  upon  thee,  for- 

peccatis  tuis,    perducat    te  give    thee    thy    sins,    and 

ad  vitam  aeternam.  brine  thee  to  life  everlast- 


ing. 


S.     Amen. 

M.  Confiteor  Deo  omni- 
potent!, beatae  Mariae  sem- 
per Virgini,  beato  Michaeli 
Archangelo,  beato  Joanni 
Baptistae,  Sanctis  Apostolis 
Petro  et  Paulo,  omnibus 
Sanctis,  et  tibi  pater,  quia 
peccavi  nimis  cogitatione, 
verbo,  et  opere,  mea  culpa, 
mea  culpa,  mea  maxima 
culpa.  Ideo  precor  beatam 
Mariam  semper  Virginem, 
hieatum  M'ichaelem  Ar- 
changelum,  beatum  Joan- 
nem  Baptistam,  sanctos 
Apostolos  Petrum  et  Paul- 
um,  omnes  Sanctos,  et  te, 
pater,  orare  pro  me  ad 
Dominum   Deum   nostrum. 


P.    Amen. 

A.  I  confess  to  Al- 
mighty God,  to  blessed 
Mary  ever  Virgin,  to 
blessed  Michael  the  Arch- 
angel, to  blessed  John  Bap- 
tist, to  the  holy  Apostles 
Peter  and  Paul,  to  all  the 
Saints,  and  to  you,  father, 
that  I  have  sinned  exceed- 
ingly in  thought,  word,  and 
deed  [here  strike  the  breast 
thrice],  through  my  fault, 
through  my  fault,  through 
my  most  grievous  fault. 
Therefore  I  beseech  blessed 
Mary  ever  Virgin,  blessed 
Michael  the  Archangel, 
blessed  John  Baptist,  the 
holy  Apostles,  Peter  and 
Paul,  and  all  the  Saints, 
and  you,  father,  to  pray  to 
the  Lord  our  God  for  me. 


The  Structure  of  the  Mass         263 

Then  the  Priest,  ivith  his  hands  joined,  gives 
the  Absolution,  saying: 

S.      MisbrEatur    vestri  P.     May  Almighty  God 

omnipotens    Deus,    et    di-  have  mercy  upon  you,  for- 

missis  peccatis  vestris,  per-  give    you    your    sins,    and 

ducat  vos  ad    vitam    aeter-  bring  you  to  life  everlast- 

nam.  ing. 

M.     Amen.  A.    Amen. 

Signing  himself  with  the  sign  of  the  Cross,  he  says: 

S.     Indulgentiam,    ab-  P.     May    the    almighty 

solutionem.  et  remissionem  and    merciful    Lord    grant 

peccatorum  nostrorum  trib-  us  pardon,  absolution  and 

uat    nobis    omnipotens    et  remission  of  our  sins, 
misericors  Dominus. 

M.  Amen.  A.    Amen. 

Then,  bozmng  down,  he  proceeds: 

S.     Deus,    tu   conversus  P.       Thou      wilt     turn 

vivificabis  nos.  again,  O  God,  and  quicken 

us. 

M.     Et  plebs  tua  laetabi-  A.    And  thy  people  shall 

tur  in  te.  rejoice  in  thee. 

S.    Ostende  nobis,  Dom-  P.     Show    us,    O    Lord, 

ine,    misericordiam    tuam.        thy  mercy. 

M.    Et  salutare  tuum  da  A.     And  grant    us    thy 

nobis.  salvation. 

S.     Domine,  exaudi  ora-  P.    O    Lord,    hear    my 

tionem  meam.  prayer. 

M.    Et  clamor  meus  ad  A.    And  let  my  cry  come 

te  veniat.  unto  thee. 

S.     Dominus  vobiscum.  P.     The  Lord  be  with 

you. 

M.     Et  cum  spiritu  tuo.  A.     And  with  thy  spirit. 


264 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


Ascending  to  the  Altar,  he  says  secretly: 


AuFER  a  nobis,  quaesum- 
us,  Domine,  iniquitates 
nostras :  ut  ad  Sancta 
sanctorum  puris  mereamur 
mentibus  introire.  Per 
Christum  Dominum  nos- 
trum.    Amen. 


Take  away  from  us  our 
iniquities,  we  beseech  thee, 
O  Lord :  that  we  may  be 
worthy  to  enter  with  pure 
minds  into  the  holy  of 
holies.  Through  Christ 
our  Lord.     Amen. 


Bozving  dozen  over  the  Altar,  he  says: 


Oramus  te,  Domine,  per 
merita  sanctorum  tuorum 
quorum  reliquiae  hie  sunt, 
et  omnium  sanctorum,  ut 
indulgere  digneris  omnia 
peccata  mea.    Amen. 


We  beseech  thee.  O 
Lord,  by  the  merits  of  thy 
saints  whose  relics  are  here, 
and  of  all  the  saints,  that 
thou  wouldst  vouchsafe  to 
forgive  me  all  my  sins. 
Amen. 


[At  High  Mass  the  Altar  is  here  incensed.]     Then  the  Priest, 
signing  himself  with  the  sign  of  the  Cross,  reads  the  Introit. 


The  Kyrie  Eleison  is  then  said: 

S.    Kyrie  eleison  (three  P.     Lord,     have 

times). 

M.         Christe        eleison 
(three  times). 

S.     Kyrie  eleison  (three 
times). 


mercy 
upon  us. 

A.     Christ,   have   mercy 
upon  us. 

P.     Lord,     have     mercy 
upon  us. 


Afterward,  standing  at  the  middle  of  the  Altar,  extending,  and 
then  joining  his  hands,  he  says  the  Gloria  in  excelsis,  except 
during  Lent  and  Advent,  and  in  Masses  for  the  Dead. 


Gloria  in  excelsis  Deo : 
et  in  terra  pax  hominibus 
bonae  voluntatis.  Lauda- 
mus  te :  benedicimus  te : 
adoramus  te:  glorificamus 
te.  Gratias  agimus  tibi 
propter  magnam  gloriam 
tuam,    Domine   Deus.   Rex 


Glory  be  to  God  on  high, 
and  on  earth  peace  to  men 
of  good  will.  We  praise 
thee :  we  bless  thee :  we 
adore  thee  :  we  glorify  thee. 
We  give  thee  thanks  for 
thy  great  glory,  O  Lord 
God,   heavenly   King,   God 


The  Structure  of  the  Mass 


265 


coelestis,  Deus  pater  omni- 
potens.  Domine  Fili  uni- 
genite  Jesu  Christe :  Dom- 
ine Deus,  Agnus  Dei,  Fili- 
us  Patris,  qui  tollis  pec- 
cata  mundi,  miserere  nobis  : 
qui  tollis  peccata  mundi, 
suscipe  deprecationem  nos- 
tram :  qui  sedes  ad  dexter- 
am  Patris,  miserere  nobis. 
Ouoniam  tu  solus  sanctus : 
tu  solus  Dominus :  tu  solus 
altissimus,  Jesu  Christe, 
cum  Sancto  Spiritu,  in 
gloria  Dei  Patris.     Amen. 


the  Father  Almighty.  O 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the 
only.begotten  Son :  O  Lord 
God,  Lamb  of  God,  Son  of 
the  Father,  who  takest 
away  the  sins  of  the  world, 
have  mercy  on  us :  thou 
who  takest  away  the  sins 
of  the  world,  receive  our 
prayers :  thou  who  sittest 
at  the  right  hand  of  the 
Father  have  mercy  on  us. 
For  thou  only  art  holy: 
thou  only  art  the  Lord : 
thou  only,  O  Jesus  Christ, 
with  the  Holy  Ghost,  art 
most  high  in  the  glory  of 
God  the  Father.     Amen. 


The  Priest  kisses  the  Altar,  and  turning  to 
the  people,  says: 

S.  Dominus    vobiscum.  P.    The  Lord    be    with 

you. 

M.     Et  cum  spiritu  tuo.  A.    And  with  thy  spirit. 

Then  follow  the  Collects,  which  may  be  found  in  the  Mis- 
sal, or  the  following  may  be  used  instead: 

Defend  us,  O  Lord,  we  beseech  thee,  from  all  dangers 
of  soul  and  body ;  and  by  the  intercession  of  the  glorious 
and  blessed  Mary  ever  Virgin,  Mother  of  God,  the  blessed 
apostles  Peter  and  Paul,  the  blessed  N.  and  all  thy  Saints, 
grant  us,  in  thy  mercy,  health  and  peace ;  that  all  adver- 
sities and  errors  being  done  away,  thy  Church  may  serve 
thee  with  a  pure  and  undisturbed  devotion.    Through,  etc. 

O  almighty  and  everlasting  God,  by  whose  Spirit 
the  whole  body  of  the  Church  is  sanctified  and  governed ; 
hear  our  humble  supplications  for  all  degrees  and  orders 
thereof,  that,  by  the  assistance  of  thy  grace,  they  may 
faithfully  serve  thee.     Through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 


266 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


thy  Son,  who  liveth  and  reigneth  with  thee  in  the  unity 
of  the  same  Holy  Ghost,  one  God,  world  without  end. 
Amen. 

Then  is  read  the  Epistle,  or  the  following  may  be  read  in- 
stead: 

Rejoice  in  the  Lord  always :  and  again  I  say,  Rejoice. 
Let  your  modesty  be  known  to  all  men :  the  Lord  is  nigh. 
Be  not  solicitous  about  anything;  but  in  everything,  by 
prayer  and  supplication  with  thanksgiving,  let  your  peti- 
tions be  made  known  to  God.  And  the  peace  of  God, 
which  passeth  all  understanding,  keep  your  hearts  and 
minds  in  Christ  Jesus.  For  the  rest,  brethren,  whatso- 
ever things  are  true,  whatsoever  things  are  modest,  what- 
soever things  are  just,  whatsoever  things  are  holy,  what- 
soever things  are  amiable,  whatsoever  things  are  of  good 
repute,  if  there  be  any  virtue,  if  there  be  any  praise  of 
discipline,  think  on  these  things.  The  things  which  you 
have  both  learned,  and  received,  and  heard,  and  seen  in 
me,  these  do  ye ;  and  the  God  of  peace  shall  be  with  you. 


Deo  gratias. 


After  which: 

Thanks  be  to  God. 


Then  the  Gradual,   Tract,  Alleluia,  or  Sequence. 

For  the  Sequence  in  Masses  for  the  Dead, 
Dies  Ira. 

Before  the  Gospel. 


Munda  cor  meum  ac 
labia  mea,  omnipotens 
Deus,  qui  labia  Isaise  pro- 
phetae  calculo  mundasti  ig- 
nito :  ita  me  tua  grata  mise- 
ratione  dignare  mundare, 
ut  sanctum  Evangelium 
tuum  digne  valeam  nun- 
tiare.  Per  Christum  Dom- 
inum  nostrum.     Amen. 


Cleanse  my  heart  and 
my  lips,  O  Almighty  God, 
who  didst  cleanse  the  lips 
of  the  prophet  Isaiah  with 
a  burning  coal :  and  vouch- 
safe, through  thy  gracious 
mercy,  so  to  purify  me,  that 
I  may  worthily  proclaim 
rhv  holv  Gospel.  Through 
Christ  our  Lord.     Amen. 


The  Structure  of  the  Mass 


267 


Dominus  sit  in  corde  tuo 
et  in  labiis  tuis,  ut  dig- 
ne  et  competenter  annun- 
ties  Evangelium  suum :  in 
nomine  Patris,  et  Filii,  et 
Spiritus  Sancti.    Amen. 


V.     Dominus  vobiscum. 

R.     Et  cum  spiritu  tuo. 

V.  Sequentia  ( Vel  initi- 
um)  sancti  Evangelii  se- 
cundum N. 

R.     Gloria  tibi,  Domine. 


The  Lord  be  in  thy  heart 
and  on  thy  lips,  that  thou 
mayest  worthily,  and  in  a 
becoming  manner,  an- 
nounce his  holy  Gospel :  in 
the  name  of  the  Father,  and 
of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.     Amen. 

V.  The  Lord  be  with 
you. 

R.     And  with  thy  spirit. 

V.  The  continuation 
{or  beginning)  of  the  holy 
Gospel  according  to  N. 

R.  Glory  be  to  thee,  O 
Lord. 


Tiicu  is  read  the  Gospel,  or  the  following  may 
be  used  instead: 

If  y£  love  me,  keep  my  commandments.  And  I  will 
ask  the  Father,  and  he  shall  give  you  another  Paraclete, 
that  he  may  abide  with  you  forever,  the  Spirit  of  truth, 
whom  the  world  cannot  receive,  because  it  seeth  him  not, 
nor  knoweth  him :  but  you  shall  know  him,  because  he 
shall  abide  with  you,  and  shall  be  in  you.  I  will  not  leave 
you  orphans :  I  will  come  to  you.  Yet  a  little  while,  and 
the  world  seeth  me  no  more.  But  ye  see  me,  because  I 
live,  and  you  shall  live.  In  that  day  ye  shall  know  that  I 
am  in  my  Father,  and  you  in  me,  and  I  in  you.  He  that 
bath  my  commandments,  and  keepeth  them,  he  it  is  that 
loveth  me.  And  he  that  loveth  me  shall  be  loved  by  my 
Father:  and  I  will  love  him,  and  will  manifest  myself  to 
him. 


R.    Laus  tibi,  Christe. 


Per  evangelica  dicta  de- 

Icantur  nostra  delicta. 


R.  Praise  be  to  Thee, 
O  Christ. 

By  the  words  of  the  Gos- 
pel may  our  sins  be  blotted 
out. 


268 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


Nicene  Creed. 

"Omitted  in  Masses  for  the  Dead. 


Credo  in  unum  Deum, 
Patrem  omnipotentem,  Fac- 
torem  cceli  et  terrae,  visibil- 
ium  omnium  et  invisibil- 
ium. 

Et  in  unum  Dominum 
Jesum  Christum,  Filium 
Dei  unigenitum,  et  ex 
Patre  natum  ante  omnia 
saecula.  Deum  de  Deo : 
Lumen  de  Lumine:  Deum 
verum  de  Deo  vero:  geni- 
tum  non  factum :  consub- 
stantialem  Patri,  per  quern 
omnia  facta  sunt.  Qui 
propter  nos  homines,  et 
propter  nostram  salutem. 
descendit  de  coelis,  et  incar- 
natus  est  de  Spiritu  Sancto, 
ex  Maria  Virgine :  ET  hom- 
o  factus  EST.  [Hie  genu- 
flectitur.  ]  Crucifixus  eti - 
am  pro  nobis  sub  Pontio 
Pilato  passus  et  sepultus 
est.  Et  resurrexit  tertia 
die  secundum  Scripturas : 
et  ascendit  in  coelum,  sedet 
ad  dexteram  Patris :  et 
iterum  venturus  est  cum 
gloria  judicare  vivos  et 
mortuos :  cujus  regni  non 
erit  finis. 


Et  in  Spiritum  Sanctum 
Dominum  et  vivificantem. 
qui  ex  Patre  Filioque  pro- 


I  BEUEVE  in  one  God, 
the  Father  Almighty,  Mak- 
er of  heaven  and  earth,  and 
of  all  things  visible  and  in- 
visible. 

And  in  one  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  the  only-begotten 
Son  of  God,  born  of  the 
Father  before  all  ages.  God 
of  God:  Light  of  Light: 
true  God  of  true  God :  be- 
gotten not  made :  consub- 
stantial  with  the  Father,  by 
whom  all  things  were 
made.  Who  for  us  men, 
and  for  our  salvation,  came 
down  from  heaven,  and 
was  incarnate  by  the  Holy 
Ghost  of  the  Virgin  Mary : 

AND       WAS        MADE        MAN. 

[Here  the  people  kneel 
down.']  He  was  crucified 
also  for  us,  suffered  under 
Pontius  Pilate,  and  was 
buried.  The  third  day  he 
rose  again  according  to  the 
Scriptures :  and  ascended 
into  heaven,  and  sitteth  at 
the  right  hand  of  the 
Father:  and  he  shall  come 
again  with  glory  to  judge 
both  the  living  and  the 
dead  :  of  his  kingdom  there 
shall  be  no  end. 

And  I  believe  in  the 
Holy  Ghost,  the  Lord  and 
life-giver,   who   proceedeth 


The  Structure  of  the  Mass 


269 


from  the  Father  and  the 
Son  :  who  together  with  the 
Father  and  the  Son  is 
adored  and  glorified :  who 
spake  by  the  prophets.  And 
one  holy  Catholic  and 
Apostolic  Church.  I  con- 
fess one  baptism  for  the 
remission  of  sins.  And  I 
look  for  the  resurrection  of 
the  dead,  and  the  life  of  the 
world  to  come.     Amen. 

V.     The  Lord    be    with 
you. 

R.     Et  cum  spiritu  tuo.  R.     And  with  thy  spirit. 

Then  he  reads  the  Offertory,  and  taking  the 
paten  with  the  Host,  says: 


cedit :  qui  cum  Patre  et 
Filio  simul  adoratur  et  con- 
glorificatur :  qui  locutus  est 
per  prophetas.  Et  unam 
sanctam  Catholicam  et 
Apostolicam  Ecclesiam. 
Confiteor  unum  baptisma 
in  remissionem  peccatorum. 
Et  exspecto  resurrectionem 
mortuorum,   et  vitam  ven- 

turi  saeculi.     Amen. 

« 

V.     Dominus  vobiscum. 


Suscipe,  sancte  Pater, 
omnipotens,  asterne  Deus, 
hanc  immaculatam  Hosti- 
am,  quam  ego  indignus 
famulus  tuus  offero  tibi, 
Deo  meo  vivo  et  vero,  pro 
innumerabilibus  peccatis,  et 
offensionibus,  et  negli- 
gentiis  meis,  et  pro  omni- 
bus circumstantibus :  sed 
et  pro  omnibus  fidelibus 
Christianis,  vivis  atque  de- 
functis :  ut  mihi  et  illis  pro- 
ficiat  ad  salutem  in  vitam 
?eternam.     Amen. 


Accept,  O  holy  Father, 
almighty,  eternal  God,  this 
immaculate  Host,  which  I, 
thy  unworthy  servant,  of- 
fer unto  thee,  my  living 
and  true  God.  for  my  in- 
numerable sins,  offences, 
and  negligences,  and  for 
nil  here  present,  as  also  for 
all  faithful  Christians,  both 
living  and  dead,  that  it  may 
be  profitable  for  my  own 
and  for  their  salvation  un- 
to life  eternal.     Amen. 


Pouring  untie  and  water  into  the  chalice,  he  says: 

O  God,  who,  in  creating 
human  nature,  didst  won- 
derfully dignify  it,  and 
bast  still  more  wonderfully 


Dkus,  qui  humanse  sub- 
stantia3 dignitatem  mirabi- 
liter  eondidisti.  et  mirabil- 
itis    reformasti :    da    nobis 


270 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


per  hujus  aquae  et  vini 
mysterium,  ejus  Divinita- 
tis  esse  consortes,  qui  hu- 
manitatis  nostras  fieri  dig- 
natus  est  particeps,  Jesus 
Christus,  Filius  tuus, 
Dominus  noster:  qui  tecum 
vivit  et  regnat  in  unitate 
Spiritus  Sancti  Dens,  per 
omnia  saecula  saeculorum. 
Amen. 


renewed  it :  grant  that,  by 
the  mystery  of  this  water 
and  wine,  we  may  be  made 
partakers  of  his  Divinity 
who  vouchsafed  to  become 
partaker  of  our  humanity, 
Jesus  Christ,  thy  Son,  our 
Lord :  who  liveth  and 
reigneth  with  thee  in  the 
unity  of,  etc. 


Offering  up  the  chalice,  he  says 


Offerimus  tibi,  Dom 
ine,  calicem  salutaris,  tu- 
am  deprecantes  clementi- 
am,  ut  in  conspectu  divinae 
Majestatis  tuae,  pro  nostra 
et  totius  mundi  salute  cum 
odore  suavitatis  ascendat. 
Amen. 


We  offer  unto  thee,  O 
Lord,  the  chalice  of  salva- 
tion, beseeching  thy  clem- 
ency, that,  in  the  sight  of 
thy  divine  Majesty,  it  may 
ascend  with  the  odor  of 
sweetness,  for  our  salva- 
tion, and  for  that  of  the 
whole  world.    Amen. 


Bowing  dozvn,  he  says: 


In  spiritu  humilitatis,  et 
in  animo  contrito,  suscipia- 
mur  a  te,  Domine,  et  sic 
fiat  sacrificium  nostrum  in 
conspectu  tuo  hodie,  ut 
placeat  tibi,  Domine  Deus. 


In  a  spirit  of  humility, 
and  with  a  contrite  heart, 
let  us  be  received  by  thee, 
O  Lord  :  and  grant  that  the 
sacrifice  we  offer  in  thy 
sight  this  day  may  be 
pleasing  to  thee,  O  Lord 
God. 


Elevating  his  eyes  and  stretching  out  his  hands,  he  says: 

Veni,   sanctificator,   om-  Come.    O    sanctifier,    al- 

nipotens  aeterne    Deus,     et  mighty,  eternal-  God,    and 

benedic  hoc  sacrificium,  tuo  bless  this  sacrifice,  prepar- 

^ancto  nomini  praeparatum.  H  to  thy  hoh-  name. 


The  Structure  of  the  Mass 


271 


At  High  Mass,  he  blesses  the  incense: 


Per  intercessionem  beati 
Michaelis  archangeli,  stan- 
ds a  dextris  altaris  incensi, 
et  omnium  electorum  suor- 
um,  incensum  istud  dig- 
netur  Dominns  benedicere, 
et  in  odorem  suavitatis  ac- 
cipere.  Per  Christum 
Dominum  nostrum.  Amen. 


May  the  Lord,  by  the  in- 
tercession of  blessed  Mi- 
chael the  archangel,  stand- 
ing at  the  right  hand  of  the 
altar  of  incense,  and  of  all 
his  elect,  vouchsafe  to  bless 
this  incense,  and  receive  it 
as  an  odor  of  sweetness. 
Throught.  etc.     Amen. 


He  incenses  the  bread  and  wine,  saying: 

May  this  incense  which 
thou  hast  blessed,  O  Lord, 
ascend  to  thee,  and  may  thy 
mercy  descend  upon  us. 


Incensum  istud  a  te 
benedictum  ascendat  ad  te, 
Domine,  et  descendat  sup- 
er nos  misericordia  tua. 


Then  he  incenses  the  Altar,  saying: 


DiRiGATUR,  Domine,  or- 
atio  mea  sicut  incensum  in 
conspectu  tuo :  elevatio 
manuum  mearum  sacrifici- 
um  vespertinum.  Pone, 
Domine,  custodiam  ori 
meo,  et  ostium  eircumstan- 
tise  labiis  meis,  ut  non  de- 
clinet  cor  meum  in  verba 
malitise,  ad  excusandas  ex- 
cusationes  in  peccatis. 


Let  my  prayer,  O  Lord, 
ascend  like  incense  in  thy 
sight :  and  the  lifting  up  of 
my  hands  be  as  an  evening 
sacrifice.  Set  a  watch,  O 
Lord,  before  my  mouth, 
and  a  door  round  about  my 
lips,  that  my  heart  may  not 
incline  to  evil  words,  to 
make  excuses  in  sins. 


Giving  the  censer  to  the  Deacon,  he  says: 


AccendaT  in  nobis  Dom- 
inns ignem  sui  amoris,  et 
flammam  seternje  caritatis. 
Amen. 


May  the  Lord  enkindle 
in  us  the  fire  of  his  love, 
and  the  flame  of  everlast- 
ing charity.     Amen. 


Washing  his  fingers,  he  recites  the  folloiving: 

Lavabo  inter  innocentes  T  will  wash    my    hands 

manus  meas :  et  circumda-      among   the    innocent :    and 


272 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


bo  altare  tuum,  Domine. 
Ut  audiam  vocem  laudis : 
et  enarrem  universa  mira- 
bilia  tua.  Domine,  dilexi 
decorem  domus  tuse,  et  lo- 
cum habitationis  gloriae 
tuae.  Ne  perdas  cum  im- 
piis,  Deus,  animam  meam : 
et  cum  viris  sanguinum 
vitam  meam.  In  quorum 
manibus  iniquitates  sunt : 
dextera  eorum  repleta  est 
muneribus.  Ego  autem  in 
innocentia  mea  ingressus 
sum :  redime  me,  et  miser- 
ere mei.  Pes  meus  stetit  in 
director  in  ecclesiis  bene- 
dicam  te,  Domine.  Gloria, 
etc. 


will  encompass  thy  altar,  O 
Lord.  That  I  may  hear  the 
voice  of  praise,  and  tell  of 
all  thy  marvelous  works. 
I  have  loved,  O  Lord,  the 
beauty  of  thy  house,  and 
the  place  where  thy  glory 
dwelleth.  Take  not  away 
my  soul,  O  God,  with  the 
wicked,  nor  my  life  with 
bloody  men.  In  whose 
hands  are  iniquities :  their 
right  hand  is  filled  with 
gifts.  As  for  me,  I  have 
walked  in  my  innocence: 
redeem  me,  and  have 
mercy  upon  me.  My  foot 
hath  stood  in  the  right: 
path :  in  the  churches  I 
will  bless  thee,  O  Lord. 
Glorv,  etc. 


Bowing  before  the  Altar,  he  says: 


SuscipE,  sancta  Trinitas, 
hanc  oblationem  quam  tibi 
offerimus  ob  memoriam 
Passionis,  Resurrectionis, 
et  Ascensionis  Jesu  Christi 
Domini  nostri :  et  in  honor- 
em  beatse  Marige  semper 
Virginis,  et  beati  Joannis 
Baptists,  et  sanctorum 
Apostolorum  Petri  et  Pauli. 
et  istorum  et  omnium  Sanc- 
torum: ut  illis  proficiat  ad 
honorem,  nobis  autem  ad 
salutem :  et  illi  pro  nobis 
intercedere  dignentur  in 
ccelis,  quorum  memoriam 
agimus  in  terris.  Per  eun- 
dem,  etc. 


Receive,  O  Holy  Trin- 
ity, this  oblation,  which  we 
make  to  thee  in  memory  of 
the  Passion,  Resurrection, 
and  Ascension  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  in  honor 
of  the  blessed  Mary  ever 
Virgin,  of  blessed  John 
Baptist,  of  the  holy  Apos- 
tles Peter  and  Paul,  of 
these  and  of  all  the  Saints : 
that  it  may  be  available  to 
their  honor  and  our  salva- 
tion :  and  may  they  vouch- 
safe to  intercede  for  us  in 
heaven,  whose  memorv 
we  celebrate  on  earth. 
Through,  etc. 


The  Structure  of  the  Mass 


273 


Turning  to  the  people,  he  says: 


Orate;,  fratres,  ut  me- 
um  ac  vestrum  sacrificium 
acceptabile  fiat  apud  Denm 
Patrem  omnipotentem. 

R.  Snscipiat  Dominus 
sacrificium  de  manibus  tuis, 
ad  landem  et  gloriam  nom- 
inis  sui.  ad  utilitatem  quo- 
qye  nostram  totiusque  Ec- 
clesiae  sure  sanctre. 

He  then  recites  th 
Which  being  finished,  he 

V.  Pkr  omnia  specula 
saeculorum. 

R.     Amen. 

V.     Dominus  vobiscum. 

R.     Et  cum  spiritu  tuo. 

V.     Sursum  corda. 

R.  Habemus  ad  Domi- 
num. 

V.  Gratias  agamus  Dom- 
ino Deo  nostro. 


R.  Dignum  et  justum 
est. 

Vere  dignum  et  justum 
est,  a?quum  et  salutare,  nos 
tibi  semper  et  ubique  grati- 
as agere,  Domine  sancte. 
Deus :  per  Christum  Dom- 
inum  nostrum.  Per  quern 
inum  nostrum :  per  quern 
Majestatem  tuam  laudant 
angeli,  adorant  domina- 
tiones.  tremunt    potestates, 


Brethren,  pray  that  my 
sacrifice  and  yours  may  be 
acceptable  to  God  the 
Father  almighty. 

R.  May  the  Lord  re- 
ceive the  sacrifice  from  thy 
hands,  to  the  praise  and 
glory  of  his  name,  to  our 
benefit,  and  to  that  of  his 
holy  Church. 

c  Secret  Prayers. 

says,  in  an  audible  voice: 
V.     World  without  end. 

R.     Amen. 

V.  The  Lord  be  with 
thee. 

R.     And  with  thy  spirit. 

V.     Lift  up  your  hearts. 

R.  We  have  them  lifted 
up  unto  the  Lord. 

V.  Let  us  give  thanks 
to  the  Lord  our  God. 

R.     It  is  meet  and  just. 

Tt  is  truly  meet  and  just, 
right  and  salutary,  that  we 
should  always,  and  in  all 
places,  give  thanks  to 
thee.  O  holy  Lord,  Father 
almighty,  eternal  God. 
Through  Christ  our  Lord : 
through  whom  the  angels 
praise  thy  Majesty,  the 
dominations      adore.       the 


274 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


coeli  coelorumque  virtutes, 
ac  beata  Seraphim,  socia 
exultatione  concelebrant. 
Cum  quibus  et  nostras  vo- 
ces, ut  admitti  jubeas  de- 
precamur,  supplici  confes- 
sione  dicentes :  Sanctus, 
sanctus,  sanctus,  Dominus 
Deus  Sabaoth.  Pleni  sunt 
cceli  et  terra  gloria  tua. 
Hosanna  in  excelsis.  Ben- 
edictus  qui  venit  in  nomine 
Domini.  Hosanna  in  ex- 
celsis. 


powers  do  hold  in  awe,  the 
heavens,  and  the  virtues  of 
the  heavens,  and  the  blessed 
Seraphim,  do  celebrate  with 
united  joy.  In  union  with 
whom,  we  beseech  thee  that 
thou  wouldst  command  our 
voices  also  to  be  admitted 
with  suppliant  confession, 
saying:  Holy,  holy,  holy, 
Lord  God  of  Sabaoth, 
Heaven  and  earth  are  full 
of  thy  glory.  Hosanna  in 
the  highest.  Blessed  is  he 
that  cometh  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord,  Hosanna  in  the 
highest. 


Canon  of  the  Mass. 


Te  igitur,  clementissime 
Pater,  per  Jesum  Christum 
Filium  tuum  Dominum 
nostrum,  supplices  roga- 
mus  ac  petimus,  uti  accepta 
habeas  et  benedicas,  hsec 
dona,  haec  munera,  haec 
sancta  sacrificia  illibata, 
in  primis,  quae  tibi  offeri- 
mtis  pro  Ecclesia  tua  sancta 
Catholica :  quam  pacificare, 
custodire,  adunare,  et  re- 
gere  digneris  toto  orbe  ter- 
rarum:  una  cum  famulo 
tuo  Papa  nostro  N.,  et  An- 
tistite  nostro  N.,  et  omni- 
bus orthodoxis,  atque  Cath- 
olics et  Apostolic?e  Fidei 
cultoribus. 


We  therefore  humbly 
pray  and  beseech  thee, 
most  merciful  Father, 
through  Jesus  Christ  thy 
Son,  our  Lord  [he  kisses 
the  Altar],  that  thou 
wouldst  vouchsafe  to  ac- 
cept and  bless  these  gifts, 
these  presents,  these  holy 
unspotted  sacrifices,  which, 
in  the  first  place,  we  offer 
thee  for  thy  holy  Catholic 
Church,  to  which  vouchsafe 
to  grant  peace:  as  also  to 
protect,  unite,  and  govern 
it  throughout  the  world, 
together  with  thy  servant 
N.  our  Pope,  N.  our  Bis- 
hop, as  also  all  orthodox 
believers  and  professors  of 
the  Catholic  and  Apostolic 
Faith. 


The  Structure  of  the  Mass 


275 


Commemoration  of  the  Living. 


Memento,  Domine,  fam- 
ulorum  famularumque  tua- 

rum,  N.  et  N. 


Be  mindful,  O  Lord,  of 
thy  servants,  men  and 
women,  N.  and  N. 


He  pauses,  and  prays  silently  for  those  he  intends  to  pray 
for,  and  proceeds: 


Et  omnium  circumstant- 
ium,  quorum  tibi  fides  cog- 
nita  est,  et  nota  devotio: 
pro  quibus  tibi  offerimus, 
vel  qui  tibi  offerunt  hoc 
sacrificium  laudis,  pro  se, 
suisque  omnibus,  pro  re- 
demptione  animarum  suar- 
um,  pro  spe  salutis  et  in- 
columitatis  suae :  tibique 
reddunt  vota  sua,  neterno 
Deo.  vivo  et  vero. 

Communicantes.  et  me- 
moriam  venerantes,  inpri- 
mis  gloriosse  semper  Vir- 
ginis  Mariae,  genitrieis  Dei 
et  Domini  nostri  Jesu 
Christi :  sed  et  beatorum 
Apostolorum  ac  Martyrum 
tuorum,  Petri  et  Pauli,  An- 
dres, Jacobi,  Joannis, 
Thomse,  Jacobi,  Philippi, 
Bartholomaei,  Matthaei,  Si- 
monis  et  Thaddaei :  Lini, 
Cleti,  Clementis,  Xysti, 
Cornelii,  Cypriani,  Laur- 
entii,  Chrysogoni.  Joannis 
et  Pauli,  Cosmae  et  Dami- 
ani,  et  omnium  sanctorum 
tuorum :  quorum  mentis 
precibusque  concedas,  ut  in 


And  of  all  here  present, 
whose  faith  and  devotion 
are  known  unto  thee :  for 
whom  we  offer,  or  who 
offer  up  to  thee,  this  sacri- 
fice of  praise  for  them- 
selves, their  families  and 
friends,  for  the  redemption 
of  their  souls,  for  the  hope 
of  their  safety  and  salva- 
tion, and  who  pay  their 
vows  to  thee,  the  eternal, 
living,  and  true  God. 

Communicating  with, 
and  honoring  in  the  first 
place  the  memory  of  the 
glorious  and  ever  Virgin 
Mary,  Mother  of  our  Lord 
and  God  Jesus  Christ:  as 
also  of  the  blessed  Apostles 
and  Martyrs.  Peter  and 
Paul,  Andrew,  James,  John, 
Thomas,  James,  Philip, 
Bartholomew,  Matthew, 
Simon  and  Thaddeus.  Lin- 
us, Cletus,  Clement,  Xys- 
tus,  Cornelius,  Cyprian, 
Lawrence,  Chrysogonus. 
John  and  Paul,  Cosmas  and 
Damian,  and  of  all  thy 
Saints:  by  whose  merits 
and  prayers  grant  that  we 


276 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


omnibus    protectionis    tuae  may  be  always  defended  by 

mtmiamur     auxilio.        Per  the  help  of  thy  protection, 

eundem     Christum     Domi-  Through   the    same    Christ 

mini  nostrum.     Amen.  our  Lord.     Amen. 

Spreading  his  hands  over  the  oblation,  he  says: 


Haxc  igitur  oblationem 
servitutis  nostra?  sed  et 
cuncta?  familise  tuae,  quae- 
sumus,  Domine,  ut  placa- 
tus  accipias :  diesque  nos- 
tras in  tua  pace  dis- 
ponas,  atque  ab  aeterna 
damnatione  nos  eripi,  et  in 
electorum  tuorum  jubeas 
grege  numerari.  Per 
Christum  Dominum  nos- 
trum.    Amen. 

Ouam  oblationem.  tu 
Deus,  in  omnibus,  quaesu- 
mus  benedictam.  adscrip- 
tam,  ratam.  rationabilem. 
acceptabilemnue  facere  dig- 
neris :  ut  nobis  Corpus  et 
Sanguis  fiat  dilectissimi 
Filii  tui  domini  nostri  Tesu 
Christi. 


Qui  pridie  quam  patere- 
tur,  accepit  panem  in  sanc- 
tas  ac  venerabiles  mantis 
suas,  et  elevatis  oculis  in 
cnelum  ad  te  Deum  Patrem 
suum  omnipotentem :  tibi 
gratias  asrens,  benedixit. 
fregit  deditque  discipulis 
suis,  dicens :  Accipite.  et 
manducate  ex  hoc  omnes : 

HOC  HST   ENIM    CORPUS   MK- 

UM. 


We;  therefore  beseech 
thee.  O  Lord,  graciously  to 
accept  this  oblation  of  our 
service,  as  also  of  thy 
whole  family :  dispose  our 
days  in  thy  peace,  com- 
mand us  to  be  delivered 
from  eternal  damnation, 
and  to  be  numbered  in  the 
flock  of  the  elect.  Through 
Christ  our  Lord.     Amen. 

Which  oblation  do  thou, 
O  God,  vouchsafe  in  all 
things  to  make  blessed,  ap- 
proved, ratified,  reasonable 
and  acceptable,  that  it  may 
become  to  us  the  Body  and 
Blood  of  thy  most  beloved 
Son,  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord. 

Who  the  day  before  he 
suffered  took  bread  [he 
takes  the  Host]  into  his 
holy  and  venerable  hands 
\he  raises  his  eyes  to 
Hea^'en],  and  with  his 
eyes  lifted  up  toward  heav- 
en, to  God.  his  almighty 
Father,  giving  thanks  to 
thee,  did  bless,  break,  and 
give  to  his  disciples,  say- 
ins::  Take,  and  eat  ye  all  of 

this  :   FOR   TTTTS.  TS   MY   RODY. 


The  Structure  of  the  Mass         277 


After  pronouncing  the  words  of  Consecration,  the  Priest, 
kneeling,  adores  the  sacred  Host,  and  rising,  he  elevates 
it. 

(At  the  Elevation  the  bell  is  rung  thrice.) 

Simili    modo   postquam  In  like  manner,  after  he 

ccenatum   est,   accipiens   et  had  supped    [he   takes   the 

hunc  praeclarum  calicem  in  chalice  in  both  his  hands] 

sanctas       ac       venerabiles  taking   also   this    excellent 

mantis  suas,  item  tibi  grati-  chalice   into  his   holy  and 

as  agens,  benedixit,  dedit-  venerable  hands,  and  giv- 

que  discipulis  suis,  dicens:  ing  thee  thanks,  he  blessed, 

Accipite    et    bibite    ex    eo  and   gave   to  his   disciples, 

cmnes:       hic     est     enim  saying:    Take,    and    drink 


CALIX  SANGUINIS  MEI  NOVI 
ET  AETERNI  TESTAMENTI : 
MYSTERIUM  FIDEI;  QUI  PRO 
VOBTS  ET  PRO  MUETIS  EF- 
FUNDETUR  IN  REMISSIONEM 
PECCATORUM. 


Hsec  quotiescumque  fec- 
eritis,  in  mei  memoriam 
facietis. 

Kneeling,  he  adores,  and 

Unde  et  memores,  Dom- 
ine,  nos  servi  tui,  sed  et 
plebs  tua  sancta,  ejusdem 
Christi  Filii  titi  Domini 
nostri  tarn  beatae  passionis, 
necnon  et  ab  inferis  resur- 
rectionis,  sed  et  in  ccelos 
gloriosse  ascensionis :  offer- 
imus  praeclarae  Majestati 
tuae,  de  tuis  donis  ac  datis, 
Hostiam  puram,  Hostiam 
sanctam,  Hostiam  immacu- 
latam,  panem  sanctum  vitse 
seternae,  et  calicem  salutis 
perpetuse. 


ye  all  of  this;  for  this  is 

THE  CHAEICE  OF  MY  BLOOD 
OF  THE  NEW  AND  ETERNAL 
TESTAMENT;  THE  MYSTERY 
OF  FAITH  ;  WHICH  SHALL 
BE  SHED  FOR  YOU,  AND  FOR 
MANY,  TO  THE  REMISSION 
OF  SINS. 

As  often  as  ye  do  these 
things,  ye  shall  do  them  in 
remembrance  of  me. 

rising,  elevates  the  chalice. 

Wherefore,  O  Lord,  we 
thy  servants,  as  also  thy 
holy  people,  calling  to 
mind  the  blessed  passion  of 
the  same  Christ  thy  Son 
our  Lord,  his  resurrection 
from  hell,  and  glorious  as- 
cension into  heaven,  offer 
unto  thy  most  excellent 
Majesty,  of  thy  gifts  and 
grants,  a  pure  Host,  a  holy 
Host,  an  immaculate  Host, 
the  holy  bread  of  eternal 
life,  and  the  chalice  of 
everlasting  salvation. 


278 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


Extending  his  hands,  he  proceeds: 


Supra  quae  propitio  ac 
sereno  vultu  respicere  dig- 
neris,  et  accepta  habere,  si- 
cuti  accepta  habere  digna- 
tus  es  munera  pueri  tui 
justi  Abel,  et  sacrificium 
Patriarchse  nostri  Abrahse: 
et  quod  tibi  obtulit  sum- 
mus  sacerdos  tuus  Mel- 
chisedech,  sanctum  sacrifi- 
cium, immaculatam  hos- 
tiam. 


Upon  which  vouchsafe 
to  look  with  a  propitious 
and  serene  countenance, 
and  to  accept  them,  as  thou 
wert  graciously  pleased  to 
accept  the  gifts  of  thy  just 
servant  Abel,  and  the  sacri- 
fice of  our  Patriarch  Abra- 
ham, and  that  which  thy 
high-priest  Melchisedech 
offered  to  thee,  a  holy  sac- 
rifice, an  immaculate  host. 


Bowing  down,  he  says: 


Supplies  te  rogamus, 
omnipotens  Deus,  jube  hsec 
perferri  per  manus  sancti 
angeli  tui  in  sublime  altare 
tuum,  in  conspectu  divinse 
Majestatis  tuae,  ut  quot- 
quot  ex  hac  altaris  partici- 
patione,  sacrosanctum  Filii 
tui  Corpus  et  Sanguinem 
sumpserimus,  omni  bene- 
dictione  ccelesti  et  gratia 
repleamur.  Per  eundem 
Christum  Dominum  nos- 
trum.   Amen. 


Memento  etiam,  Domi- 
ne,  famulorum  famular- 
umque  tuarum  N.  et  N., 
qui  nos  prsecesserunt  cum 
signo  fidei.  et  dormiunt  in 
somno  pacis. 


We  most  humbly  beseech 
thee  Almighty  God,  com- 
mand these  things  to  be 
carried  by  the  hands  of  thy 
holy  angel  to  thy  altar  on 
high,  in  the  sight  of  thy  di- 
vine Majesty,  that  as  many 
of  us  [he  kisses  the  Altar] 
as,  by  participation  at  this 
Altar,  shall  receive  the 
most  sacred  Body  and 
Blood  of  thy  Son,  may  be 
filled  with  all  heavenly 
benediction  and  grace. 
Through  the  same  Christ, 
etc.    .  Amen. 

Be  mindful,  O  Lord,  of 
thy  servants  and  hand- 
maids N.  and  N.,  who  are 
gone  before  us,  with  the 
sign  of  faith,  and  sleep  in 
the  sleep  of  peace. 


The  Structure  of  the  Mass 


279 


He  prays  for  such  of  the  Dead  as  he  intends 
to  pray  for. 


Ipsis,  Domine,  et  omni- 
bus in  Christo  quiescenti- 
bus,  locum  refrigerii,  lucis 
et  pacis,  ut  indulgeas,  de- 
precamur.  Per  eundem 
Christum,  etc.    Amen. 


To  these,  O  Lord,  and  to 
all  that  rest  in  Christ, 
grant,  we  beseech  thee,  a 
place  of  refreshment,  light, 
and  peace.  Through  the 
same  Christ  our  Lord. 
Amen. 


Here,  striking  his  breast  and  slightly  raising 
his  voice,  he  says: 


Nobis  quoque  peccatori- 
bus  famulis  tuis,  de  multi- 
tudine  miserationum  tuar- 
um  sperantibus,  partem  ali- 
quam  et  societatem  donare 
digneris,  cum  tuis  Sanctis 
apostolis,  et  martyribus : 
cum  Joanne,  Stephano, 
Matthia,  Barnaba,  Ig- 
natio,  Alexandre  Marcel- 
lino,  Petro,  Felicitate,  Per- 
petua,  Agatha,  Lucia,  Ag- 
nete,  Caecilia,  Anastasia,  et 
omnibus  Sanctis  tuis :  intra 
quorum  nos  consortium, 
non  aestimator  meriti,  sed 
veniae,  quaesumus,  largitor 
admitte.  Per  Christum 
Dominum  nostrum. 

Per  quern  haec  omnia 
Domine,  semper  bona  creas, 
sanctificas,  vivificas,  bene- 
dicis,  et  praestas  nobis.  Per 
ipsum,  et  cum  ipso,  et  in 
ipso,  est  tibi  Deo  Patri  om- 
nipotent}, in  unitate  Spiri- 
tus  Sancti,  omnis  honor  et 
gloria. 


And  to  us  sinners,  thy 
servants,  hoping  in  the 
multitude  of  thy  mercies, 
vouchsafe  to  grant  some 
part  and  fellowship  with 
thy  holy  apostles  and  mar- 
tyrs :  with  John,  Stephen, 
Matthias,  Barnabas,  Igna- 
tius, Alexander,  Marcel- 
linus,  Peter,  Felicitas,  Per- 
petua,  Agatha,  Lucy,  Ag- 
nes, Cecilia,  Anastasia,  and 
with  all  thy  Saints:  into 
whose  company  we  beseech 
thee  to  admit  us,  not  con- 
sidering our  merit,  but 
freely  pardoning  our  of- 
fences. Through  Christ 
our  Lord. 

By  whom,  O  Lord,  thou 
dost  always  create,  sancti- 
fy, quicken,  bless,  and  give 
us  all  these  good  things. 
Through  him,  and  with 
him,  and  in  him,  is  to  thee, 
God  the  Father  Almighty, 
in  the  unity  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  all  honor  and  glory. 


280 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


V.  Per  omnia  saecula 
saeculorum. 

R.    Amen. 

Praeceptis  salutaribus 
moniti,  et  divina  institu- 
tione  formati,  audemus 
dicere. 

Pater  noster,  qui  es  in 
coelis,  sanctificetur  nomen 
tuum :  adveniat  regnum 
tuum :  fiat  voluntas  tua  si- 
cut  in  coelo,  et  in  terra. 
Panem  nostrum  quotidian- 
um  da  nobis  hodie:  et  di- 
mitte  nobis  debita  nostra, 
sicut  et  nos  dimittimus  de- 
bitoribus  nostris.  Et  ne 
nos  inducas  in  tentationem. 

M.  Sed  libera  nos  a 
malo. 


V.     Forever  and  ever. 

R.    Amen. 

Instructed  by  thy  saving 
precepts,  and  following  thy 
divine  institution,  we  pre- 
sume to  say: 

Our  Father,  who  art 
in  heaven,  hallowed  be  thy 
name :  thy  kingdom  come ; 
thy  will  be  done  on  earth 
as  it  is  in  heaven.  Give  us 
this  day  our  daily  bread: 
and  forgive  us  our  tres- 
passes, as  we  forgive  them 
that  trespass  against  us. 
And  lead  us  not  into  temp- 
tation. 


A. 

evil. 


But  deliver  us  from 


He  then  says  in  a  loud  voice,  "Amen,"  and  continues: 


Libera  nos,  quaesumus, 
Domine,  ab  omnibus  ma- 
lis.  praeteritis,  praesentibus, 
et  futuris:  et  intercedente 
beata  et  gloriosa  semper 
Virgine  Dei  Genitrice 
Maria,  cum  beatis  Aposto- 
lis  tuis  Petro  et  Paulo,  at- 
que  Andrea,  et  omnibus 
Sanctis,  da  propitius  pacem 
in  diebus  nostris :  ut  ope 
misericordiae  tuae  adjuti,  et 
a  peccato  simus  semper 
liberi,  et  ab  omni  pertur- 
batione  securi.  Per  eun- 
dem  Dominum  nostrum 
Jesum      Christum      Filium 


Deliver  us,  we  beseech 
thee,  O  Lord,  from  all 
evils,  past,  present,  and  to 
come:  and  by  the  interces- 
sion of  the  blessed  and 
glorious  Mary  ever  Virgin, 
Mother  of  God,  together 
with  thy  blessed  Apostles 
Peter  and  Paul,  and  An- 
drew, and  all  the  Saints 
\ making  the  sign  of  the 
Cross  on  himself  zvith  the 
paten,  he  kisses  it,  and 
says]  :  mercifully  grant 
peace  in  our  days :  that  by 
the  assistance  of  thy  mercy 
we  mav    be     alwavs     free 


The  Structure  of  the  Mass 


281 


tuum.  Qui  tecum  vivit  et 
regnat  in  unitate  Spiritus 
Sancti  Deus. 


from  sin,  and  secure  from 
all  disturbance.  Through 
th,e  same  Jesus  Christ  thy 
Son  our  Lord.  Who  with 
thee,  in  the  unity  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  liveth  and 
reigneth  God. 


Then  he  says  aloud: 


V.     Per    omnia     saecula 
saeculorum. 

R.     Amen. 

V.        Pax     Domini     sit 
semper  vobiscum. 

R.     Et  cum  spiritu  tuo. 


V.    World  without  end. 

R.    Amen. 

V.  May  the  peace  of 
the  Lord  be  always  with 
you. 

R.     And  with  thy  spirit. 


In  a  low  voice: 

Haec  commixtio   et   con-  May    this    mixture    and 

secratio    Corporis    et    San-  consecration   of   the   Body 

guinis  Domini  nostri   Tesu  and  Blood     of     our    Lord 

Christi     fiat     accipientibus  Jesus  Christ  be  to  us  that 

nobis    in    vitam    aeternam.  receive  it  effectual  to  eter- 

Amen.  nal  life.     Amen. 

Striking  his  breast  three  times,  he  says: 


Agnus  Dei,  qui  tollis 
peccata  mundi,  miserere 
nobis  (tzuice). 

Agnus  Dei,  qui  tollis 
peccata  mundi,  dona  nobis 
pacem. 

Domine  Jesu  Christe, 
qui  dixisti  Apostolis  tuis, 
pacem  relinquo  vobis,  pac- 
em meam  do  vobis :  ne  re- 
spicias  peccata  mea,  sed  fi- 


Lamb  of  God,  who  tak- 
est  away  the  sins  of  the 
world,  have  mercy  upon  us 
(twice). 

Lamb  of  God,  who  tak- 
est  away  the  sins  of  the 
world,  grant  us  thy  peace. 

Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who 
saidst  to  thy  Apostles, 
peace  I  leave  with  you,  my 
peace  I  give  unto  you ;  re- 
gard not  my  sins,  but  the 


282 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


dem  Ecclesiae  tuae :  eamque 
secundum  voluntatem  tuam 
pacificare  et  coadunare  dig- 
neris :  qui  vivis  et  regnas 
Deus,  per  omnia  saecula 
saeculorum.    Amen. 

Domine  Jesu  Christe, 
Fili  Dei  vivi,  qui  ex  volun- 
tate  Patris,  co-operante 
Spiritu  Sancto,  per  mor- 
tem tuam  mundum  vivifi- 
casti :  libera  me  per  hoc 
sacrosanctum  corpus  et 
sanguinem  tuum  ab  omni- 
bus iniquitatibus  meis,  et 
universis  malis,  et  fac  me 
tuis  semper  inhaerere  man- 
datis,  et  a  te  nunquam  sep- 
arari  permittas :  qui  cum 
eodem  Deo  Patre  et  Spiritu 
Sancto  vivis  et  regnas 
Deus  in  saecula  saeculorum. 
Amen. 


Perceptio  corporis  tui. 
Domine  Jesu  Christe,  quod 
ego  indignus  sumere  prae- 
sumo,  non  mihi  proveniat 
in  judicium  et  condemna- 
tionem :  sed  pro  tua  pietate 
prosit  mihi  ad  tutamentum 
mentis  et  corporis,  et  ad 
m  e  d  e  1  a  m  percipiendam. 
Qui  vivis  et  regnas  cum 
Deo  Patre.  in  unitate  Spir- 
itus  Sancti.  Deus  per  om- 
nia saecula  saeculorum. 
Amen. 


faith  of  thy  Church :  and 
vouchsafe  to  it  that  peace 
and  unity  which  is  agree- 
able to  thy  will :  who  livest 
and  reignest  God  forever 
and  ever.    Amen. 

Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Son 
of  the  living  God,  who, 
according  to  the  will  of  the 
Father,  through  the  co- 
operation of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  hast  by  thy  death 
given  life  to  the  world :  de- 
liver me  by  this,  thy  most 
sacred  Body  and  Blood, 
from  all  my  iniquities  and 
from  all  evils;  and  make 
me  always  adhere  to  thy 
commandments,  and  never 
suffer  me  to  be  separated 
from  thee :  who  with  the 
same  God  the  Father  and 
Holy  Ghost  livest  and 
reignest  God  forever  and 
ever.    Amen. 

Let  not  the  participation 
of  thy  Body,  O  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  which  I,  unworthy, 
presume  to  receive,  turn  to 
my  judgment  and  condem- 
nation :  but  through  thy 
goodness  may  it  be  to  me  a 
safeguard  and  remedy, 
both  of  soul  and  body. 
Who  with  God  the  Father, 
in  the  unity  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  livest  and  reignest 
God  forever  and  ever. 
Amen. 


The  Structure  of  the  Mass 


283 


Making  a  genuflection,  the  Priest  rises  and  says: 

Panem  coelestem  accipi-  I  will  take  the  bread  of 

am,  et  nomen   Domini  in-      heaven,  and  call  upon  the 
vocabo.  name  of  the  Lord. 

Then  striking  his  breast,  and  raising  his  voice 
a  little,  he  says  three  times: 


DominE,  non  sum  dig 
nus  ut  intres  sub  tectum 
meum :  sed  tantum  die  ver- 
bo,  et  sanabitur  anima  mea. 


Lord,  I  am  not  worthy 
that  thou  shouldst  enter 
under  my  roof :  say  but  the 
word,  and  my  soul  shall  be 
healed. 


After  which  he  says: 

Corpus     Domini     nostri  May    the    Body   of   our 

Jesu  Christi  custodiat  ani-  Lord  Jesus  Christ  preserve 

mam  meam  in  vitam  seter-  my  soul  to  life  everlasting, 

nam.    Amen.  Amen. 

He  then  receives  the  sacred  Host,  and  after 
a  short  pause,  says: 


Quid  retribuam  Domino 
pro  omnibus  quse  retribuit 
mihi  ?  Calicem  salutaris 
accipiam,  et  nomen  Domi- 
ni invocabo.  Laudans  in- 
vocabo  Dominum,  et  ab  in- 
imicis  meis  salvus  ero. 


What  shall  I  render  to 
the  Lord  for  all  he  hath 
rendered  unto  me?  I  will 
take  the  chalice  of  salva- 
tion, and  call  upon  the 
name  of  the  Lord.  Prais- 
ing I  will  call  upon  the 
Lord,  and  I  shall  be  saved 
from  mv  enemies. 


Receiving  the  chalice,  he  says: 

Sanguis  Domini    nostri  The  Blood  of  our  Lord 

Jesu  Christi  custodiat  ani-  Jesus  Christ    preserve    my 

mam  meam  in  vitam  aeter-  soul     to     everlasting     life, 

nam.    Amen.  Amen. 

[Those  who  are  to  communicate  go  up  to  the  Sanctuary  at  the 
Domine,  non  sum  dignus,  when  the  bell  rings:  the  Acolyte 
spreads  a  cloth  before  them,  and  says  the  Confiteor.] 


284  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

Then  the  Priest,  turning  to  the  communicants, 
pronounces  the  Absolution. 

Misereatur   vestri,   etc.  May  Almighty  God  have 

Indulgentiam,  absolution-  mercy,  etc.  May  the  Al- 
em,  etc.  mighty  and  merciful  Lord, 

etc. 

Elevating  a  particle  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament, 
and  turning  toward  the  people,  he  says: 

Ecce  Agnus     Dei,    ecce  Behold     the     Lamb    of 

qui  tollit  peccata  mundi.  God,  behold  him  who  tak- 

eth  away  the  sins    of    the 
world. 

[And  then  repeats  three  times,  Domine,  non  sum  dignus,  etc.l 

He  then    administers  the  Holy  Communion, 
saying  to  each: 

Corpus     Domini    nostri  May  the    Body    of    our 

Jesu  Christi  custodiat  ani-  Lord  Jesus  Christ  preserve 

mam  tuam  in  vitam  aeter-  thy  soul    to    life    everlast- 

nam.     Amen.  ing.    Amen. 

Taking  the  hirst  ablution,  he  says: 

Quod     ore     sumpsimus,  Grant,  Lord,  that  what 

Domine,  pura  mente  capia-  we  have  taken  with  our 
mus ;  et  de  munere  tempor-  mouth  we  may  receive  with 
ali  fiat  nobis  remediuni  a  pure  mind ;  and  from  a 
sempiternum.  temporal  gift  may     it     be- 

come to  us  an  eternal  rem- 
edy. 

Taking  the  second  ablution,  he  says: 

Corpus  tuum,  Domine,  May  thy  Body,  O  Lord, 
quod  sumpsi,  et  sanguis  which  I  have  received,  and 
quern  potavi,  adhgereat  vis-  thy  Blood  which  I  have 
ceribus  meis :  et  praesta,  ut  drunk,  cleave  to  my  bow- 
in  me  non  remaneat  sceler-  els :  and  grant  that  no  stain 


The  Structure  of  the  Mass 


285 


urn  macula,  quern  pura  et 
sancta  refecerunt  sacra- 
menta.  Qui  vivis  et  reg- 
nas  in  ssecula  saeculorum. 
Amen. 


of  sin  may  remain  in  me, 
who  have  been  refreshed 
with  pure  and  holy  sacra- 
ments. Who  livest,  etc. 
Amen. 


He  then  wipes  the  chaliee,  zvhich  he  covers;  and  Ivaving 
folded  the  corporal,  places  it  in  the  burse; 
he  then  reads  the  Communion.  Then  he  tarns  to  the 
people,  and  says: 

V.     Dominus  vobiscum.  V.     The)  Lord    be    with 

you. 

R.     Et  cum  spiritu  tuo.  R.     And  with  thy  spirit. 

Then  he  reads  the  Post-Communion. 

Afterward  he  turns  again  toward  the  people, 
and  says: 

V.     Dominus  vobiscum.  V.     The;  Lord    be    with 

you. 

R.    Et  cum  spiritu  tuo.  R.     And  with  thy  spirit. 

V.     Ite,  Missa  est.  V.  Go,      the     Mass      is 


R.     Deo  gratias. 


ended. 

R.    Thanks  be  to  God. 


Bowing  down  before  the  Altar,  he  says: 


Placeat  tibi  sancta 
Trinitas,  obsequium  servi- 
tutis  mese :  et  praesta,  ut 
sacrificium  quod  oculis  tuae 
Majestatis  indignus  obtuli. 
tibi  sit  acceptabile,  mi- 
hique,  et  omnibus,  pro  qui- 
bus  illud  obtuli,  sit,  te  mis- 
erante,  propitiabile.  Per 
Christum  Dominum  nos- 
trum.    Amen. 


O  Holy  Trinity,  let  the 
performance  of  my  hom- 
age be  pleasing  to  thee: 
and  grant  that  the  sacrifice 
which  I,  unworthy,  have 
offered  up  in  the  sight  of 
thy  Majesty,  may  be  ac- 
ceptable to  thee,  and 
through  thy  mercy  be  a 
propitiation  for  me,  and 
all  those  for  whom  I  have 
offered  it.  Through  Christ 
our  Lord.     Amen. 


286 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


Then  he  kisses  the  Altar,  and  raising  his  eyes,  extending, 
raising,  and  joining  his  hands,  he  bozvs  his  head  to  the 
Crucifix,  and  says: 

Benedicat  vos  omnipo-  May  Almighty  God,  the 

tens  Deus,  Pater,  et  Filius,      Father,     Son,     and     Holy 
et  Spiritus  Sanctus.  Amen.      Ghost,  bless  you.     Amen. 


At  the  word  "Deus,"  he  turns  toward  the  people,  and 
makes  the  sign  of  the  Cross  on  them.  Then  turning  to 
the  Gospel  side  of  the  Altar,  he  says: 

V.     Dominus  vobiscum.  V.     The    Lord    be    with 

you. 

R.     Et  cum  spiritu  tuo.  R.     And  with  thy  spirit. 

[The  Benediction  is  omitted  in  Masses  for  the  Dead.] 

He  then    begins  the  Gospel  according  to  St. 
John,  saying: 


S.  Initium  sancti 
Evangelii  secundum  Joan- 
nem. 

M.     Gloria  tibi,  Domine. 

In  principio  erat  Ver- 
bum,  et  Verbum  erat  apud 
Deum :  et  Deus  erat  Ver- 
bum :  hoc  erat  in  principio 
apud  Deum.  Omnia  per 
ipsum  facta  sunt,  et  sine 
ipso  factum  est  nihil  quod 
factum  est :  in  ipso  vita 
erat  et  vita  erat  lux  homi- 
num :  et  lux  in  tenebris 
lucet,  et  tenebrse  earn  non 
comprehenderunt. 


P.  The  beginning  of 
the  holy  Gospel  according 
to  St.  John. 

A.  Glory  be  to  thee,  O 
Lord. 

In  the  beginning  was  the 
Word,  and  the  Word  was 
with  God.  and  the  Word 
was  God :  the  same  was  in 
the  beginning  with  God. 
All  things  were  made  by 
him,  and  without  him  was 
made  nothing  that  was 
made :  in  him  was  life,  and 
the  life  was  the  light  of 
men:  and  the  light  shineth 
in  darkness,  and  the  dark- 
ness did  not  comprehend 
it. 


The  Structure  of  the  Mass 


287 


Fuit  homo  missus  a  Deo, 
cui  nomen  erat  Joannes. 
Hie  venit  in  testimonium 
ut  testimonium  perhiberet 
de  lumine,  ut  omnes  cred- 
erent  per  ilium.  Non 
erat  ille  lux :  sed  ut  testi- 
monium perhiberet  de 
lumine.  Erat  lux  vera  quae 
illuminat  omnem  hominem 
venientem  in  hunc  mun- 
dum. 

In  mundo  erat,  et  mun- 
dus  per  ipsum  factus  est, 
et  mundus  eum  non  cog- 
novit. In  propria  venit,  et 
sui  eum  non  receperunt. 
Quotquot  autem  receperunt 
eum    dedit  eis    potestatem 


There  was  a  man  sent 
from  God,  whose  name 
was  John.  This  man  came 
for  a  witness  to  give  testi- 
mony of  the  light,  that  all 
men  might  believe  through 
him.  He  was  not  the  light, 
but  came  to  give  testimony 
of  the  light.  He  was  the 
true  light  which  enlighten- 
eth  every  man  that  cometh 
into  this  world. 

He  was  in  the  world, 
and  the  world  was  made  by 
him,  and  the  world  knew 
him  not.  He  came  unto 
his  own,  and  his  own  re- 
ceived him  not.  But  as 
many  as  received    him,    to 


filios  Dei  fieri :  his  qui  ere-      them  he  gave  power  to  be- 

dunt  in    nomine    ejus,    qui      come  the  sons  of  God :  to 

non  ex  sanguinibus,  neque 

ex  voluntate  carnis,    neque 

ex   voluntate    viri.    sed    ex 

Deo  nati  sunt,    et  verbum 

CARO  PACTUM  EST  [hie  ven- 

ufleetitur],   et  habitavit  in 

nobis :  et  vidimus  gloriam 

ejus,    gloriam    quasi    Uni- 

geniti    a     Patre,     plenum 

gratia?  et  veritatis. 


M.    Deo  gfratias. 


those  that  believe  in  his 
name,  who  are  born  not  of 
blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the 
flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of 
man,  but  of  God.  and 
the  Word  was  made 
flesh  [here  the  people 
kneel  down],  and  dwelt 
among  us :  and  we  saw  his 
glory,  as  it  were  the  glory 
of  the  Only-begotten  of  the 
Father, 
truth. 

A.     Thanks  be  to  God. 


full   of  grace  and 


When  a  Feast  falls  on  a  Sunday,  or  other  day  which  has  a 
proper  Gospel  of  its  own,  the  Gospel  of  the  day  is  read 
instead  of  the  Gospel  of  St.  John. 


288  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

The  Fast  Jor  Mass. 

The  universal  rule  in  the  Church  of  East  and 
West  enjoins  that  the  celebrant  of  a  Mass  shall  be 
fasting  from  food  and  drink,  among  the  Copts  and 
Ethiopians  from  the  evening  before,  and  in  the 
Roman  practice,  from  the  preceding  mid-night. 
Cardinal  Bona  ascribes  the  custom  to  an  Apostolic 
origin  and  St.  Augustine  records  the  reason  of  it, 
viz:  out  of  respect  for  the  Holy  Eucharist. 

In  the  ancient  Church  the  fast  was  dispensed 
with  on  Holy  Thursday  in  memory  of  the  Last 
Supper,  and  celebrant  and  communicant  allowed 
to  receive  after  partaking  food.  The  exception  in 
the  Coptic  Church  is  to  administer  the  Viaticum 
to  the  dying.  As  the  Blessed  Sacrament  is  not 
reserved  among  them  a  non-fasting  priest  may 
celebrate  Mass  night  or  day  when  such  a  con- 
tingency arises. 

Among  us  the  following  are  the  exceptions: 

(1)  To  complete  the  Mass,  when  the  celebrant 
is  disabled  in  or  after  the  Consecration,  and  when 
the  celebrant  drinking  from  the  chalice  discovers 
water  instead  of  wine.  In  the  first  instance,  a 
non-fasting  priest  within  the  first  hour  of  the  in- 
terruption may  finish  the  sacrifice.  In  the  second, 
the  same  priest  though  consuming  the  water 
should  consecrate  wine  and  drink  it. 

(2)  To  protect  the  Sacred  Host  from  insult  or 
injury. 


The  Structure  of  the  Mass         289 

These  exceptions  are  certain. 
The  following  are  uncertain  with  a  leaning  to 
the  affirmative: 

(1)  To  provide  the  Viaticum  for  the  dying. 

(2)  If  inadvertently  a  priest  break  his  fast  on  a 
Sunday  or  Holyday  of  obligation  and  a  goodly 
number  of  the  people  have  not  heard  Mass. 

(3)  If  a  priest  at  the  altar  remember  he  is  not 
fasting  and  has  finished  with  the  Consecration,  he 
must  proceed  to  the  end;  if  the  recollection  pre- 
cede the  Consecration,  a  fear  of  scandal  or 
defamation  may  justify  a  continuance. 

Washing  the  hands. 

In  the  Western  Church  the  celebrant  washes  his 
hands  before  vesting,  and  in  the  Eastern,  after 
vesting  to  typify  purity  of  heart  and  out  of  defer- 
ential reverence  for  the  Sacred  Presence.  In 
early  times  all  the  faithful  washed  their  hands  on 
entering  the  church.  The  priest  performs  this 
ablution  thrice:  before  vesting,  after  the  Offertory 
and  after  Communion;  a  bishop  four  times:  before 
assuming  the  vestments,  after  reading  the  Offer- 
tory, at  the  Lavabo  and  after  Communion. 
The  washing  at  the  Offertory  is  a  vestige  of  those 
ancient  days  when  the  bishop  received  the  gifts 
of  the  people  at  the  altar. 

Covering  the  Feet 

In  imitation  of  the  High  Priest  in  the  Mosaic 
Law  who  always  officiated  barefooted,  Egyptian 


290  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

monks  notably,  and  a  few  others  in  the  past,  and 
Nestorians  now,  say  Mass  in  their  naked  feet. 
Among  Armenians  whilst  choir  attendants  are 
bared  of  foot,  the  celebrant  wears  a  black  slipper. 
Only  at  the  adoration  of  the  Cross  on  Good 
Friday  are  the  ministers  of  the  Roman  rite 
allowed  to  doff  their  shoes.  The  rubric  now 
requires  the  priest  to  wear  a  footgear.  Formerly  a 
bishop  was  free  to  select  in  his  sandal  the  color 
that  pleased  him  most.  The  priest,  however, 
was  restricted  to  black,  and  the  red-peaked  boot 
was  especially  forbidden. 

Vesting. 

The  priest  dons  the  vestments  in  the  sacristy; 
a  bishop  at  the  throne  and  altar.  The  explana- 
tion of  this  Episcopal  privilege  is,  that  formerly 
all  cathedrals  had  in  their  nave  a  small  altar  at 
which  the  bishop  sat  on  his  way  to  officiate,  to 
receive  the  veneration  of  the  people  as  they  entered, 
and  which  for  this  cause  was  called  the  Saluta- 
torium.  Here  he  vested  and  moved  in  solemn 
procession  to  the  altar. 

The  Sign  of  the  Cross. 

This  is  made  always  with  the  right  hand  on 
forehead,  breast,  left  and  right  shoulder,  with  the 
following  distribution  of  the  formula:  "In  the 
name  of  the  Father"  on  the  forehead;  "and  of  the 
Son"  on  breast;  "and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  Amen," 
as  the  hand  passes  from  the  left  to  the  right 


The  Structure  of  the  Mass        291 

shoulder.  Until  the  sixteenth  century  and  Pope 
Pius  V,  the  custom  was  to  carry  the  hand  from 
the  right  to  the  left  shoulder  which  still  continues 
in  the  Greek  Church. 

The  Pope,  bishops  and  members  of  the  Car- 
thusian and  Dominican  Orders  follow  the  primitive 
arrangement  of  the  fingers  in  signing  the  cross 
by  closing  the  little  and  ring  fingers  of  the  right 
hand,  and  extending  the  other  three.  The  three 
extended  fingers  symbolize  the  Blessed  Trinity  and 
the  two  folded  ones  the  twofold  nature  of  Christ. 

The  42nd  Psalm,  Judica  me  Deus. 

Before  the  years  of  Pope  Pius  V  this  psalm  was 
optional  in  the  Mass.  The  new  missal  published 
by  him  made  it  obligatory  for  the  first  time.  All 
the  older  Orders  are  exempt  from  our  manner  of 
its  recitation.  Because  it  embodies  a  note  of  joy 
and  triumph  it  is  omitted  in  Passiontide  and  from 
requiem  Masses. 

The  Confiteor. 

It  is  accepted  by  experts  that  a  form  of  con- 
fession was  always  found  somewhere  in  the  Mass, 
although  its  form  and  place  are  not  always  sure. 
Merati  testifies  that  the  present  formula  is  the 
creation  of  the  third  Council  of  Ravenna  (1314) 
and  was  a  composite  from  the  many  other  exist- 
ing forms.  According  to  Durandus  the  triple 
percussion  of  the  breast  is  a  reminder  of  the  three 
essentials  of  Penance:    contrition,  confession  and 


292  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

satisfaction.  When  the  priest  ascends  to  the  altar 
he  kisses  it  in  honor  of  its  relics.  The  Dominicans 
kiss  a  cross  traced  on  the  altar  by  the  celebrant, 
and  a  bishop  first  kisses  the  altar  and  then  the 
gospel  of  the  day  presented  to  him  by  the  sub- 
deacon  in  memory  of  the  time  when  a  painted 
cross  on  the  missal  was  kissed  instead  of  the  altar. 

The  Introit. 

The  introit  is  the  beginning  of  Mass,  called  in 
the  Ambrosian  rite  Ingress,  and  in  the  Mozarabic, 
Office.  It  is  called  Introit  either  because  it  is  the 
entry  into  the  Sacrifice,  or  because  it  was  sung  by 
the  choir  when  the  bishop  or  celebrant  was  ap- 
proaching the  altar.  Its  origin  is  credited  to  Pope 
Celestine  (423-432)  and  arrangement  to  Pope 
Gregory  the  Great,  The  introits  are  taken 
usually  from  the  psalms.  Those  derived  from  a 
different  source  are  called  irregular.  Their  tone 
is  an  index  of  the  season  and  the  quality  of  the 
Mass — joyful  or  sad — triumphant  or  penitential. 

Kyrie  Eleison. 

This  is  called  the  Minor  Litany.  Kyrie  Eleison, 
Lord  have  mercy  on  us;  Christe  Eleison,  Christ 
have  mercy  on  us.  It  is  repeated  in  all  nine 
times — thrice  to  each  person  of  the  most  Blessed 
Trinity.  The  Greek  is  used  because  it  is  perhaps 
a  more  ancient  liturgic  tongue  than  the  Latin, 
and  because  it  shares  with  the  Hebrew  and  Latin 
the  honor  of  a  place  on  the  Cross.     Hence  as  the 


The  Structure  of  the  Mass         293 

Church  employs  the  Greek,  so  also  she  speaks  the 
Hebrew  in  her  service,  like  Amen,  alleluia, 
hosanno,  sabaoth,  cherubim,  seraphim. 

Gloria  in  Excelsis. 

Its  composer  and  the  author  of  its  place  in  the 
Mass  are  unknown.  It  is  called  the  major  doxology 
and  was  reserved  to  a  bishop's  Mass,  the  priest 
being  permitted  to  say  it  only  on  Easter  Sunday. 
At  Rome  and  Tours  it  was  chanted  in  Greek  and 
Latin  on  Christmas  morning.  It  is  excluded  from 
certain  Masses  because  of  its  joyous  tone.  The 
bishop  of  Bethlehem  insisted  on  his  right  to  recite 
it  in  every  Mass.  Pope  Pius  V  determined  its 
liturgic  place.  As  it  was  reserved  to  bishops,  and 
peace  is  its  burden,  the  bishop's  salutation  to  the 
people  after  its  recital  is  "Pax  vobis"  instead  of 
the  priest's  "Dominus  vobiscum,"  in  memory  of 
his  ancient  privilege,  and  afterwards  he  uses  the 
priestly  salute. 

The  Collect. 

The  prayer  is  thus  designated  because  from  col- 
ligere,  (to  gather  up)  it  brings  together  within 
its  small  scope  the  many  wants  of  the  people  and 
presents  them  to  God  by  the  priest's  ministry. 
Whilst  chanting  or  reading  the  collect  the  cele- 
brant holds  his  hands  extended  in  token  of  the 
primitive  attitude  of  prayer  taken  by  the  faithful. 
Churches  were  devoid  of  pews  or  seats  and  a 
sitting  posture  was   discouraged  as  incongruous 


294  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

with  the  Divine  Presence.  The  aged  and  feeble 
were  allowed  staves  on  which  to  lean  and  rarely 
cushions  on  which  to  sit.  The  rubrical  attitude 
for  Sundays  was  to  stand,  and  for  the  weekdays 
to  kneel.  The  deacon  sang  the  warning  posture 
to  the  people,  and  thus  when  kneeling  he  chanted 
"Erecti  stemus  honeste"  (let  us  stand  up  becom- 
ingly), and  when  standing,  "Flectamus  genua 
(kneel)  and  "Levate"  (arise),  and  again 
"Humiliate  capita  vestra  Deo"  (bow  down 
your  heads  before  God).  The  number  of  collects 
varies  with  the  dignity  of  the  Mass.  The  more 
solemn  feasts  have  only  one,  whilst  those  of  an 
inferior  rank  may  have  three,  five  or  seven.  One 
is  the  minimum;  seven  the  maximum.  Gregory 
the  Great  appointed  one  collect  for  all  Masses. 
Innocent  III  (1216)  testifies  that  in  his  time  the 
modern  number  had  already  been  introduced. 
The  aggregate  is  uneven  according  to  Benedict 
XIV  to  symbolize  liturgical  oneness,  and  as  the 
sum  total  is  odd  and  indivisible  it  better  retains 
its  integrity.  An  additional  collect  may  be  per- 
mitted by  the  rubrics,  and  the  mandate  of  the 
Holy  See,  or  the  bishop. 

One  collect  denotes  the  mystery  of  unity;  three 
are  said  for  the  Most  Blessed  Trinity  or  in 
memory  of  the  triple  prayer  of  Christ  in  Gethsem- 
ane;  five  in  veneration  of  the  five  wounds  of  the 
Redeemer,  and  seven  as  indicative  of  the  seven 
petitions  of  the  Our  Father. 


The  Structure  of  the  Mass         295 

Amen. 

At  the  finish  of  the  collect  the  server  or  choir 
answers  "Amen"  a  Hebrew  word  signifying 
"may  it  be  so."  Cardinal  Bona  says  it  is  one  of 
those  words  which  the  translators  have  left  un- 
touched lest  any  wresting  of  it  from  the  original 
Hebrew  form  might  impair  its  beauty  and  force. 

The  Gfadual. 

The  Gradual  is  a  response  to  the  Epistle,  and 
so  called  from  gradus  (step)  because  it  was 
sung  from  the  step  of  the  ambo  or  pulpit.  The 
object  of  the  chant  here  was  to  hold  the  attention 
of  the  worshippers  whilst  the  procession  to  sing 
the  gospel  was  forming. 

Alleluia. 

The  Gradual  closes  with  an  alleluia,  which  is  a 
Hebrew  word  signifying,  "praise  the  Lord"  from 
"allelu"  (praise)  and  "Jah"  one  of  the  names 
for  God.  In  the  Roman  rite  it  is  never  used  in 
penitential  or  requiem  services.  The  Greek  and 
Mozarabic  rite  employs  it  ostentatiously  in  all 
services. 

The  1  ract. 

When  the  alleluia  is  omitted  the  Tract  com- 
posed of  verses  from  the  psalms  is  subjoined  to  the 
Gradual.  Its  name  is  derived  from  the  Latin  trahere 
(to  draw  out)  a  name  descriptive  of  the  slow 
measured  manner  of  its  chanting.     Sometimes  on 


296  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

special  feasts  a  composition  called  a  Sequence, 
because  it  follows  the  alleluia  was  sung  instead  of 
the  Tract.  The  most  noted  of  these  are  the 
Stabat  Mater,  Dies  Irae,  Lauda  Sion,  Veni  Sancte 
Spiritus. 

The  Gospel. 

During  the  reading  or  singing  of  the  Gospel 
the  people  stand,  and  after,  the  missal  is  kissed  by 
the  priest  in  veneration  of  the  Word  of  God. 
Formerly  every  one  in  the  congregation  also 
kissed  the  Gospel.  Before  it  is  read  the  missal  is 
"changed,"  that  is  carried  from  the  right,  or 
Epistle  side,  to  the  left,  or  Gospel  side  of  the  altar. 
The  symbolic  reason  for  this  is  the  rejection  of 
the  Synagogue  and  the  selection  of  the  Gentile 
for  the  Gospel  message.  The  real  reason  is  to 
make  room  for  the  gifts  of  the  people  at  the 
Offertory  and  the  spacious  paten  required  for  the 
large  Host.  Whilst  the  Gospel  was  read,  staves, 
decorations,  crowns  and  sceptres  were  all  effaced. 

The  Creed. 

The  Mass  of  the  Catechumens  closed  with  the 
Gospel  and  the  Creed  was  not  recited  until  they 
had  departed.  Prior  to  the  Council  of  Nice  (325) 
the  Apostles'  Creed  was  said  in  the  Mass.  The 
Creed  now  said  is  a  Creed  composed  by  the  Fathers 
of  Trent  on  the  formulas  of  the  Councils  of  Nice 
and  Constantinople.  The  Creed  of  Nice  was 
never  a  portion  of  the  Roman  Mass.    That  of 


The  Structure  of  the  Mass         297 

Constantinople  with  its  fuller  profession  of  faith 
prevailed  for  many  centuries.  The  rubrics  deter- 
mine when  a  Mass  shall  have  a  Credo.  As  a  rule 
all  Sunday  Masses  have  the  Creed  in  honor  of  the 
Resurrection,  and  also  doctors  and  apostles. 
Martyrs,  confessors,  virgins  and  widows  are  de- 
prived of  it.  The  Blessed  Virgin  and  Mary  Magda- 
lene as  the  "Apostle  of  Apostles"  are  entitled  to  it. 

The  Offertory. 

The  word  comes  from  the  Latin  offerre  (to 
offer).  At  this  stage  of  the  Mass  the  bishop 
moved  to  the  railing  to  receive  the  gifts  of  the 
people— bread  and  wine,  oil,  incense,  ears  of  corn 
and  clusters  of  grapes  presented,  first  by  the  men 
on  clean  linen  cloths,  and  then  the  women  with 
their  cakes  of  fine  flour  and  cruses  of  wine.  Hav- 
ing received  them,  the  bishop  washed  his  hands 
and  returned  to  the  altar  to  receive  the  gift  of 
bread  made  by  the  priests  and  deacons.  What- 
ever was  needed  for  the  sacrifice  was  left  on  the 
altar;  all  else  on  a  side  table.  The  donors  had 
their  names  recorded  for  a  share  of  the  Mass  and 
it  was  customary  for  the  same  to  receive  Com- 
munion. A  relic  of  this  custom  is  visible  in  the 
Mass  of  the  consecration  of  a  bishop  who  offers 
two  lighted  candles,  two  loaves  of  bread  and  two 
kegs  of  wine. 

After  the  oblation  of  the  bread,  wine  in  quantity 
about  a  small  wine  glass  full  is  poured  into  the 


298  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

chalice  and  two  or  three  drops  of  water  are  added. 
The  reason  of  the  mixture  of  water  is  to  repeat 
what  Christ  very  probably  did  at  the  Last  Supper, 
as  a  custom  has  been  enduring  in  the  East  of 
tempering  the  wine  with  water  before  drinking  it. 
It  also  suggests  holy  Baptism,  the  blood  and  water 
that  issued  from  His  side,  and  the  union  of  the 
divine  and  human  nature  in  His  Sacred  Person. 

The  prayer  that  follows  the  Lavabo  is  called  the 
Secret  because  said  in  silence  to  avoid  disturbing 
the  singers  who  stood  near  the  altar. 

Preface. 

It  is  so  called  because  it  is  preliminary  or  intro- 
ductory to  the  Canon.  In  ancient  times  every 
feast  had  its  own  Preface.  In  the  eleventh  cen- 
tury the  Church  reduced  the  number  to  nine,  and 
afterwards  added  two,  thus  making  the  aggregate 
eleven.  Christmas,  Epiphany,  Lent,  Passiontide, 
Easter,  Ascension,  Pentecost,  the  Most  Blessed 
Trinity,  the  Blessed  Virgin  and  the  Apostles  have 
their  own  special  Prefaces. 

The  Canon. 

We  now  approach  the  most  solemn  part  of  the 
Mass.  To  assist  recollection  and  to  suggest  pro- 
found respect  it  is  always  read  in  silence.  In  point 
of  antiquity  it  is  the  most  venerable  portion 
of  the  Mass.  Substantially  it  is  identical  with 
the  Canon  prior  to  Gregory  the  Great  in  the 
seventh  century.     It  is  called  both  Canon  and 


The  Structure  of  the  Mass         299 

Action.  The  synonym  for  Canon  is  the  Latin 
regula,  a  fixed  standard  or  rule,  and  as  applied 
to  the  Mass  it  signifies  that  part  of  it  which  with 
a  few  trivial  exceptions  is  permanent  and  unchang- 
ing in  its  prayers  and  ceremonies.  It  was  also 
called  the  Prayer,  the  Oration,  the  Ecclesiastical 
Rule,  the  Secret.  The  expression  "Infra  Action- 
em" (within  the  Action)  is  a  warning  that  certain 
words  are  to  be  annexed  to  the  regular  prayer  of 
the  Canon.  At  the  letters  N.  N.  still  repeated  in 
the  Missal  before  the  Consecration  and  again  after 
it,  the  Mass  was  delayed  long  enough  to  read 
aloud  from  the  Diptychs  or  folding  tablets  the 
names  of  the  living  worthy  of  mention,  and 
following  the  Consecration,  those  of  the  dead. 

These  names  were  arranged  in  three  parallel 
columns.  In  the  first  were^the  names  of  those 
who  died  for  the  faith— martyrs,  thus  canonized 
because  deemed  worthy  of  being  read  out  and 
remembered  in  the  Canon.  This  was  the  primitive 
meaning  and  usage  of  canonization.  Every  new 
saint  is  likewise  invoked  and  inserted  in  the 
Canon  of  the  first  Mass  offered  by  the  Pope  after 
his  solemn  canonization  in  memory  of  this  ancient 
practice.  In  the  second  column  were  the  names 
of  the  'spiritual  and  civil  superiors,  benefactors 
and  those  for  whom  the  Mass  was  offered.  The 
third  column  contained  ,the  names  of  the 
dead. 


300  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

The  Elevation. 

After  the  Consecration  of  the  sacred  species, 
each  in  its  turn,  the  priest  elevates  it  on  high  for 
the  adoration  of  the  people,  to  the  accompaniment 
of  bell  or  gong  to  quicken  attention.  Before  the 
eleventh  century,  there  was  only  the  minor  eleva- 
tion at  the  "omnis  honor  et  gloria,"  preceding 
the  Pater  Noster,  which  was  then  made  nearly 
as  conspicuous  as  the  present  elevation.  The 
prevailing  custom  is  a  protest  against  Berengarius 
who  denied  Transubstantiation.  At  first  there 
was  only  an  elevation  of  the  Host,  and  subse- 
quently of  the  chalice,  after  the  lapse  of  a 
century. 

Breaking  of  the  Host. 

The  breaking  or  fraction  of  the  loaf  in  the 
early  Church  was  an  elaborate  ceremony,  not 
merely  for  subsequent  distribution,  but  as  in  the 
Gallican  Church,  to  enable  the  celebrant  to  lay  out 
the  Particles  upon  the  Corporal  in  some  fanciful 
picture  of  the  Lord's  Body,  The  Mozarabic  rite 
divides  into  nine,  and  the  early  Irish  Church 
varied  from  five  parts  on  ordinary  days  to  sixty- 
five  for  Ascension  day.  The  Roman  practice  was 
a  fraction  into  three  parts  only — one  part  dipped 
in  the  chalice  to  represent  Christ  alive  from  the 
dead,  the  second  consumed  by  the  priest,  and  the 
third  reserved  for  the  Tabernacle.  Later,  the  Pope 
broke  off  the  crown  of  one  loaf,  and  every  bishop 


The  Structure  of  the  Mass         301 

and  priest  present  broke  many  Particles  from  two 
consecrated  loaves  held  before  them. 

Before  the  regular  Communion  in  a  Solemn  Mass 
was  the  ceremony  of  Sancta  (holy)  and  in  private 
Masses,  Fermentum  (leaven).  They  were  similar 
in  this,  that  they  consisted  in  placing  in  the  chalice 
a  portion  of  the  pre-consecrated  Host  reserved 
from  the  previous  Solemn  Mass  said  by  a  bishop, 
in  order  that  all  who  partook  of  it  would  be 
brought  into  communion  with  all  who  offered  at 
the  Solemn  Mass,  and  through  them  with  Chris- 
tians from  the  beginning. 

As  now  practiced,  the  commixture  is  a  distinct 
ceremony  and  no  mere  survival  of  the  Fermen- 
tum, its  object  being  to  imitate  Christ  in  the 
breaking  of  the  Host,  and  to  represent  the  Body 
of  Christ  in  its  glorified  state  through  the  infusion 
of  the  Blood  which  is  the  life  unto  the  Crucified 
Body. 

The  Pax. 

After  the  Agnus  Dei  in  a  Solemn  High  Mass 
the  Pax  or  kiss  of  peace  is  given  in  commemora- 
tion of  the  loving  intercourse  between  Christ  and 
His  disciples.  It  is  not  given  in  a  requiem  Mass 
because  of  its  mournful  character,  and  further, 
because  it  was  not  the  custom  to  receive  Com- 
munion at  such  Masses,  and  the  Pax  before  all 
else  was  a  token  of  reconciliation  between  man 
and  man  before  the  reception  of  the  Holy  Eucharist. 


302  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

Holy  Communion. 

In  the  ancient  Church  the  people  were  accus- 
tomed to  receive  Communion  every  time  they 
assisted  at  Mass,  and  often  in  the  day  if  they  were 
fasting.  Until  the  sixth  century,  the  manner  of 
receiving  was  to  place  the  Sacred  Host  in  the 
hands  of  the  communicant  and  let  him  com- 
municate himself.  Males  received  it  in  the 
uncovered  hands  arranged  in  the  form  of  a 
cross,  and  the  palm  of  the  right  hand  convexed 
to  forestall  a  danger  of  allowing  the  Host  to 
fall  Females  were  required  to  receive  the 
sacred  Particle  in  a  hand-cloth  called  a  Domini- 
cal, and  so  imperative  was  this  restriction  that 
they  were  denied  Communion  if  they  presented 
themselves  without  this  clean  linen  cloth.  With 
the  relaxing  of  the  earlier  fervor  a  new  enact- 
ment was  enforced  requiring  all  to  approach  Holy 
Communion  on  Sundays  and  festivals,  and  still 
another  command  to  receive  at  Christmas,  Easter 
and  Pentecost. 

Finally,  the  Council  of  Lateran  (1215)  decreed, 
under  pain  of  excommunication,  that  all  the  faith- 
ful who  had  reached  the  years  of  discretion  should 
confess  their  sins  at  least  once  a  year  and  receive 
Holy  Communion  within  the  Easter  time,  which 
normally  includes  Holy  Week  and  the  Easter 
octave,  but  which  England  extends  from  Ash  Wed- 
nesday to  Low  Sunday;  Ireland  from  Ash  Wed- 


The  Structure  of  the  Mass         303 

nesday  to  the  Octave  day  of  SS.  Peter  and  Paul, 
and  the  United  States  from  the  first  Sunday  in 
Lent  to  Trinity  Sunday.  This  solemn  injunction 
was  afterward  confirmed  and  renewed  by  the 
Council  of  Trent  and  is  the  requirement  in  vogue 
now. 

In  the  age  of  persecution  the  faithful  were  per- 
mitted to  carry  the  Sacred  Host  to  their  homes, 
where  it  was  reserved  in  a  special  pyx,  and  com- 
municate themselves  when  imminent  death 
threatened. 

Until  the  twelfth  century  Communion  was  ad- 
ministered under  both  kinds.  After  this  it  began 
to  be  restricted  to  the  celebrant,  but  did  not  become 
a  universal  custom  until  by  order  of  the  Council 
of  Constance  (1414)  in  protest  to  the  teaching  of 
Huss  and  Jerome  of  Prague. 

In  the  Saxon  Church  from  the  arrival  of 
Augustine  to  the  Reformation  the  English  name 
for  the  Eucharist  was  the  "housel,"  from  husel 
or  husle,  a  victim  of  sacrifice.  To  administer 
Holy  Communion  was  "to  housel;"  to  receive  it 
was  "to  go  to  the  housel,"  or  "to  be  houselled." 
After  the  Reformation,  sacrament  was  substituted 
for  it. 

It  is  a  matter  of  observation  that  the  Speaker  of 
the  British  House  of  Commons  bows  three  times 
profoundly  as  he  approaches  his  chair.  The  ex- 
planation is  found  in  the  reservation  of  the  Host 


304  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

above  the  Speaker's  tribune  in  the  olden  Catholic 
days  as  a  restraint  and  an  inspiration  for  the  law- 
makers of  the  realm. 

In  the  Eastern  Church,  and  in  certain  French 
churches,  bread  is  blessed  for  distribution  either 
during  or  after  the  service  among  those  who  do 
not  receive  Communion.  The  Greeks  call  it 
Antidoron  (instead  of  the  gift)  because  Doron 
or  gift  is  the  name  of  the  Eucharist,  and  in  France 
it  is  known  as  pain  benit  (blessed  bread).  It  is 
an  error  to  call  it  the  Eucharist, 

The  custom  in  Paris  is  said  to  be  a  reminiscence 
of  the  siege  of  the  city  by  Childeric  and  his 
Franks,  when  St.  Genevieve  its  patroness,  (died 
509)  brought  in  a  shipload  of  wheat  to  its  starv- 
ing citizens.  This  origin  is  doubtful  because  of  a 
kindred  custom  among  the  Greeks.  It  rather 
harks  back  and  is  an  echo  of  the  time,  when 
the  people  brought  their  gifts  to  the  church,  and 
leaving  a  portion  to  the  Lord,  received  back 
another  blessed  portion  for  themselves,  as  is  also 
done  on  Candlemas  day  now  with  their  gift  of 
candles, 

Ite,  missa  est. 

Formerly  this  invitation  terminated  the  Mass. 
In  the  tenth  century  the  custom  came  of  blessing 
the  people  with  a  triple  cross  by  every  celebrant 
until  Clement  VIII  reserved  the  triple  form  to 
bishops,  and  the  single  cross  to  priests.     Requiem 


The  Structure  of  the  Mass         305 

Masses  follow  the  ancient  custom  of  abstention 
from  a  blessing. 

The  Gospel  of  St.  John  was  not  a  part  of  the 
Mass  until  by  order  of  Pius  V.  Even  now  it  is 
absent  from  a  Carthusian,  Cistercian  and  a  Bene- 
dictine Mass  at  Cluny  and  Monte  Cassino.  In  a 
Solemn  Mass  a  bishop  recites  it  as  he  walks  to  his 
throne;  at  Clermont  the  priest  repeats  it  at  the 
door  of  the  sacristy,  and  in  Lyons  on  the  way 
back  from  the  altar. 


CHAPTER  XXL 

ON  THE   REQUISITES  OF  THE   MASS. 
ALTAR,   TABERNACLE. 

According  to  present  Church  ordinances, 
what  is  required  for  the  proper  celebration  of 
Mass? 

(1)  A  stone,  fixed  or  portable,  altar,  conse- 
crated by  a  bishop. 

(2)  A  triple  linen  cloth  covering  the  same. 

(3)  Sacred  vestments  blessed  by  competent 
power. 

(4)  A  consecrated  chalice  and  paten. 

(5)  Linen  corporal  blessed. 

(6)  Linen  pall  to  cover  chalice, 

(7)  Linen  purificator. 

(8)  Missal  and  missal  stand. 

(9)  A  crucifix,  and  not  merely  a  cross. 

(10)  Two  lighted  wax  candles. 

(11)  Burse,  veil,  finger  towels  and  two  glass 
cruets. 

(12)  Bread  and  wine. 

(13)  A  regularly  ordained  priest  who  has  ob- 
tained and  not  forfeited  the  Episcopal  permission 
to  celebrate  Mass. 


The  Requisites  of  the  Mass         307 
THE  ALTAR. 

Wliat  is  an  Altar?     Whence  its  name? 

An  altar  is  a  table  on  which  Mass  is  offered. 
It  is  derived  from  a  Latin  word  which  is  synono- 

mous  for  a  "high 
thing  or  structure." 
The  other  title  Ara 
or  altar,  as  found  in 
the  name  of  that 
celebrated  Roman 
altar  platform  Church,  Ara  Coeli, 

has  its  origin  in  a  Greek  word  which  means  to 
elevate  or  lift  up.  Because  this  latter  title  also 
meant  a  funeral  pyre  and  was  identified  with 
pagan  worship,  it  was  rejected  by  early  Christian 
writers  as  bearing  any  relation  to  a  Christian  altar. 

What  ivas  the  material  of  Altars  in  the 
early  Church? 

The  tradition  is  provable  that  the  Apostles  and 
their  disciples,  in  imitation  of  Christ,  celebrated 
Mass  on  wooden  altars.  The  Lateran  basilica  and 
the  church  of  St.  Pudentiana  in  Rome  possess, 
the  first  an  entire,  the  second  a  fragment  of  a 
wooden  altar  on  which  St.  Peter  is  said  to  have 
offered  Mass.  Even  in  primitive  times  there  were 
also  altars  of  stone  and  metal. 

In  the  Roman  Breviary — Office  of  the  Dedica- 
tion of  the  Basilica  of  the  Holy  Saviour,  November 


308  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

9 — it  is  recorded  that  Pope  Sylvester  (314)  the 
contemporary  of  Constantine  the  Great,  who  gave 
the  Church  a  legal  status,  decreed  that  henceforth 
altars  should  be  constructed  only  of  stone,  and  in 
the  sixth  century  the  Council  of  Epaon  (517)  en- 
joined that  only  stone  altars  may  be  hallowed 
with  holy  chrism.  This  reference  to  Pope  Syl- 
vester seems  unhistoric,  for  the  reason  that  such 
a  decree  is  non-existent,  and  further,  because 
wooden  altars  were  in  use  in  many  churches  down 
to  the  Middle  ages.  The  requirement  of  stone 
altars  yet  prevails  the  universal  custom  even  when 
altars  are  of  wood  and  only  provisional  structures, 
because  they  must  have  a  consecrated  altar  stone 
in  their  mensa  or  table,  large  enough  to  carry  the 
host,  chalice  and  ciborium  for  their  Consecration. 

What  is  the  significancy  of  the  Altar? 

According  to  the  Roman  Pontifical  in  the 
ordination  of  a  sub-deacon,  the  altar  is  a  figure  of 
Christ.  "The  altar  truly  of  the  Church  is  Christ 
Himself,  according  to  the  testimony  of  John,  who 
in  his  Apocalypse  witnesseth  that  he  saw  a  golden 
altar  standing  before  the  throne,  on  which  and  by 
whom  the  offerings  of  the  faithful  to  God  the 
Father  are  hallowed."  It  is  of  stone  because  in 
Sacred  Scripture  Christ  is  likened  to  a  stone  and  a 
rock,  St.  Paul  (1  Cor.  X.  4)  testifying  that,  "the 
rock  however  was  Christ,"  and  St.  Peter,  (1  Peter, 
II,  4,  6)  "Unto  whom  coming  as  to  a  living  stone, 


The  Requisites  of  the  Mass         309 

rejected  indeed  by  men,  but  chosen  and  made 
honorable  by  God;  be  ye  also  as  living  stones  built 
up,  a  spiritual  house." 

From  which  St.  Thomas  Aquinas  (Part.  III.  q. 
83,  Art.  3)  concludes  the  propriety  of  the  present 
discipline  which  insists  that  only  altars  of  stone  be 
erected,  and  on  them  alone  the  holy  Mass  be  cele- 
brated. 

What  are  the  requisites  oj  an  Altar  that 
Mass  may  be  celebrated  on  it? 
An  altar  should  be: 

(1)  Of  stone,  and 

(2)  Consecrated  by  a  bishop. 

7s  Mass  ever  permissible  save  on  an  Altar? 

The  Church  never  allows  even  to  missionaries 
the  celebration  of  Mass  except  on,  at  least,  a  por- 
table altar,  or  consecrated  altar  stone,  (Decree  of 
September  2,  1780).  Whilst  the  need  of  a  conse- 
crated altar  stone  is  imperative  for  the  lawful 
celebration  of  Mass,  Berardi  and  Genicot  teach  that 
in  case  of  necessity,  it  is  permitted  to  offer  Mass 
on  an  altar  stone  that  has  lost  its  consecration  by 
breakage,  opening  of  the  sepulchre,  or  deprivation 
of  its  relics. 

How  many  kinds  oj  Altars  are  there? 

Three: 

(1)  A  fixed  altar,  using  the  term  "fixed"  in  a 
strict  sense.     This  altar  has  two  essential  elements: 


CANONICAl.LV   FIXED   ALTAR 


310  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

A  lower  construc- 
tion, or  base  of 
stone,  brick  or  iron 
with  no  intercept- 
ing wood,  and  a 
stone  mensa,  or 
table  joined  tightly 
to  it  by  some  ad- 
hesive material,  the  whole  constituting  a  permanent 
structure  built  on  a  solid  foundation.  In  the  surface 
of  this  table  is  cut  a  small  receptacle  called  a  sepul- 
chre for  the  relics  of  the  saints  enclosed  in  it,  under 
a  small  stone  square  called  a  seal.  This  sepulchre 
may  be  otherwise  placed  as  hereafter  mentioned. 
When  there  is  mention  of  a  consecrated  altar  this  is 
the  sort  of  structure  required  and  contemplated. 

(2)  A  fixed  altar,  employing  the  term  "fixed" 
in  a  less  restricted  sense.  It  consists  of  an  un- 
consecrated  structure,  stable  and  fixed,  and  of  a 
movable  consecrated  altar  stone  which  is  inserted  in 
its  upper  surface  and  may  be  removed  from  it  with- 
out impairing  its  fixity. 

(3)  A  portable  altar 
called  also  a  Viaticum. 
The  designation  applies 
either  to  the  entire  struc- 
ture, movable  from  place 
to  place,  or  only  to  the 
consecrated  stone  which 
is  placed  in  or  on  its  table. 


* 

* 

* 

* 

□ 

* 

PORTABLE  ALTAR 


The  Requisites  of  the  Mass         311 

What  is  the  rule  determining  the  celebration 
of  Mass  on  a  Portable  Altar? 

If  erected  in  a  holy  place,  like  church  or  chapel, 
the  privilege  belongs  to  every  priest  competent  to 
say  Mass.  This  designation  of  place  does  not  in- 
clude the  private  cells  of  a  monastery,  nor,  very 
probably,  any  room  not  connected  with  the 
monastic  chapel  or  sacristy. 

Bishops  by  an  inherent  and  ordinary  right  may 
for  just  cause  say  Mass  in  any  becoming  place  on 
a  consecrated  stone. 

By  special  permission  of  the  Holy  See,  the  same 
privilege  is  given  to  priests  of  offering  Mass  on  a  por- 
table altar  in  an  unblessed  and  unconsecrated  place. 

How  does  an  Altar  forfeit  its  consecration? 

A  canonically  fixed  altar  is  desecrated  by  a 
notable  fracture  of  the  table  or  of  the  supports. 
A  fracture  is  notable  by  its  extent  and  location. 
If  the  table  were  broken  into  two  or  more  large 
pieces;  if  one  of  the  columns  which  support  the 
table  at  the  angles  were  removed;  if  several  stones 
were  displaced  from  the  substructure  destroying 
the  moral  identity  of  the  support;  if  there  be  a 
slight  breakage  of  the  stone,  where  the  unction 
was  made  at  its  consecration,  in  each  instance  the 
fracture  would  be  notable  and  deconsecrating. 
The  same  result  follows  if  for  any  reason  the 
table  were  removed  from  the  support,  or  only 
raised  from  its  base  even  to  renew  the  cement, 


312  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

and  also  by  the  removal  of  the  relics,  or  by  the 
fracture  or  removal  by  chance  or  design  of  the 
small  stone  slab  or  cover  placed  over  the  sepulchre. 
(2)  Other  altars  are  deprived  of  their  consecra- 
tion if  the  altar  stone  is  so  badly  fractured  as  to  be 
unable  to  hold  the  chalice  and  Host.  Whether  the 
dislocation  of  any  of  the  lateral  crosses  from  the 
rest  of  the  altar  stone  is  followed  by  a  similar 
result  is  disputed,  with  Lemkuhl  inclining  to  the 
negative.  It  is  also  desecrated  by  the  lack  or  the 
despoiling  of  the  sacred  relics,  by  the  fracture  of 
the  sepulchre  containing  the  relics,  and  by  the 
breaking  of  the  seal  which  covers  the  sepulchre. 
If  the  sepulchre  and  seal  are  newly  annexed  with 
plaster  of  Paris  without  exposing  the  relics  the 
stone  does  not  lose  its  consecration. 

Are  the  dimensions  of  an  Altar  defined? 

The  dimensions  of  an  altar  are  not  prescribed 
either  by  the  rubrics  or  the  Sacred  Congregation 
of  Rites.  It  should,  however,  be  large  enough  to 
allow  a  priest  conveniently  to  celebrate  Mass  upon 
it  and  observe  all  the  ceremonies  decorously.  An 
altar  for  solemn  services  should  be  larger  than 
other  altars.  St.  Charles  Borromeo,  however,  in 
his  "Instructions  on  Ecclesiastical  Buildings,"  says 
that  the  High  Altar  ought  to  be  from  3  feet  2]/2 
inches  to  3  feet  3%  inches  high  above  the  level 
of  the  platform  or  predella  on  which  the  cele- 
brant stands;  6  feet  10^  inches  or  more  in  length 
and  at  least  3  feet  5  %  inches  wide. 


The  Requisites  of  the  Mass         313 

What  is  the  Sepulchre  of  an  Altar  or  Altar 
stone? 

It  is  a  small  square  or  oblong  opening  in  altar 
or  altar  stone  in  which  are  deposited  the  relics  of 
at  least  two  canonized  martyrs.  To  these  may 
be  added  the  relics  of  the  other  saints,  especially 
of  those  in  whose  honor  the  church  or  altar  is 
consecrated.  These  relics  must  be  actual  portions 
of  saints'  bodies  and  not  merely  of  their  garments 
or  objects  which  they  used  or  touched,  They 
must  also  be  verified  as  genuine.  They  are 
placed  in  a  case  of  lead,  silver  or  gold,  large 
enough  to  contain  in  addition  to  the  relics  three 
grains  of  incense  and  a  small  piece  of  parchment 
on  which  is  written  an  attest  of  the  consecration. 
This  parchment  is  sometimes  enclosed  in  a  vessel 
of  glass  to  save  it  from  decay.  In  size  it  con- 
forms to  the  needs  of  its  contents,  being  ordinarily 
4  inches  long,  4  inches  wide  and  2]/2  inches  deep. 

Where  is  the  Sepulchre  or  Confession  of  the 
Martyrs  located? 

The  location  of  the  sepulchre  is  either: 

(1)  At  the  back 
of  the  altar  mid- 
way between  i  t  s 
table  and  foot. 

(2)  At  the  front 
of  the  altar  in  the 
same  relative  po- 
sition. ALTAR  AND  SEPULCHRE 


314 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


( 3 )  In  the  table  at  its  centre  somewhat  towards 
the  front  edge. 

(4)  In  the  cen- 
tre on  the  top  of 
the  base  or  support 
if  it  be  solid.  Lo- 
cation 3  is  the  most 
convenient,  but 
then  a  table  must 
be  provided  of  a  thickness  of  nearly  fj  four  inches 

since  the  cover  of 
the  sepulchre,  al- 
ways required, 
ought  to  be  about 
three  -  quarters  of 
'  an  inch  thick. 


ALTAR  AND  SEPULCHRE 


ALTAR  AND  SEPULCHRE 


Why  are  the  Relics  of  Martyrs  deposited  in 
Fixed  Altars  and,  in  an  Altar  Stone,  or  Portable 
Altar? 

(1)  To  commemorate  the  dark  ages  of  the 
Church — the  age  of  the  Catacombs  when  the 
Holy  Sacrifice  was 
offered  on  the  tombs 
of  the  martyrs. 

(2)  To  respond 
to  the  prayer  of 
the  celebrant,  who 
kissing  the  altar  in 
the  beginning  of  Mass,  prays  for  forgiveness  "by 
the  merits  of  the  saints  whose  relics  here  repose." 


ALTAR    AND  SEPULCHRE 


The  Requisites  of  the  Mass        315 

(3)  To  represent  and  realize  on  earth  the 
vision  of  St.  John  in  the  Heavenly  Jerusalem 
where,  "he  saw  under  the  altar  the  souls  of  them 
that  were  slain  for  the  word  of  God  and  for  the 
testimony  which  they  held."  (Apocalypse,  Ch.  6, 
v.  9.) 

(4)  When  St.  Ambrose  discovered  the  bodies 
of  the  martyrs  Gervasius  and  Protasius  he  placed 
them  under  the  altar  and  said:  "The  triumphal 
sacrifices  are  to  be  placed  where  the  propitiatory 
sacrifice  of  Christ  is  commemorated.  Upon  the 
altar  is  He  that  suffered  for  us  all;  beneath  the 
altar  are  they  who  by  His  sufferings  were  redeemed 
— the  martyrs  are  entitled  to  this  resting  place."  In 
a  similar  strain  thus  St.  Augustine  discourses: 
"Rightly  do  the  souls  of  the  just  rest  beneath  the 
altar,  since  on  it  the  Body  of  Our  Lord  is  im- 
molated. Quite  properly  by  reason  of  a  certain 
fellowship  in  suffering,  so  to  speak,  do  the  martyrs 
receive  burial  in  the  place  where  the  death  of  the 
Lord  is  daily  commemorated." 

What  is  the  significance  of  the  Three  Grains 
of  Incense  deposited  tvith  the  Relics? 

Incense  is  always  suggestive  of  prayer  and 
praise,  and  in  this  instance,  the  triple  grain  is  a 
symbolic  earnest  of  the  intercession  of  the  Divine 
Victim  and  these  holy  martyrs  to  the  Most  Blessed 
Trinity  in  our  behalf.  The  triple  grain  and  also 
the  incense  burned  in  the  anointed  crosses  may 


316  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

signify  the  sweet  spices  with  which  the  Body  of 
Christ  was  embalmed. 

What  is  the  antiquity  of  this  custom  of  en- 
tombing Relics  and  Incense  in  Altars? 

It  is  ascribed  to  Pope  Felix  in  the  third  century. 

Were  only  Relics  so  deposited? 

Garments  of  the  saints,  instruments  of  their 
torture,  relics  of  the  true  Cross,  precious  docu- 
ments, like  the  alleged  authentic  letter  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin  at  Messina,  Sicily,  and  the  Sacred 
Host  were  also  buried  in  altars.  The  custom  of 
enclosing  the  Blessed  Eucharist  in  altar  structures 
prevailed  in  England  until  the  fifteenth  century. 

May  Altars  be  receptacles  for  these  sacred 
objects  now? 

Altar  and  altar  stones  now  can  only  receive 
portions  of  the  flesh  and  bone  of  martyrs  and 
confessors,  apostles  and  virgins  with  the  three 
grains  of  incense,  and  the  record  of  its  consecra- 
tion, whilst  the  Sacred  Host  is  peremptorily  ex- 
cluded, and  remains  of  the  true  Cross  and  all 
other  relics  cannot  be  inserted  unless  by  permis- 
sion of  the  Holy  See. 

What  is  the  custom  of  the  Eastern  Church 
with  reference  to  Altars? 

Their  altars  also  must  be  constructed  of  stone. 
In  the  absence  of  an  altar  they  are,  however,  per- 


The  Requisites  of  the  Mass         317 

mitted  to  celebrate  Mass  on  a  leaf  of  the  gospel 
and  on  certain  cloths  called  Antimens,  (anti, 
instead  of,  and  mensa,  a  table  or  altar).  They 
are  usually  silken  and  sometimes  linen  like  our 
corporals.  They  measure  about  sixteen  inches 
square  and  have  the  date  of  their  consecration,  the 
name  of  the  consecrator  and  a  representation  of 
the  burial  of  Our  Lord  worked  into  or  stamped 
upon  them.  They  are  consecrated  by  a  bishop 
with  holy  oil,  incense  and  pulverized  relics  com- 
bined, and  after  Mass  has  been  offered  on  them 
seven  times  they  are  said  to  be  hallowed.  The 
Syrians  arbitrarily  may  employ  slabs  of  wood 
called  Mensae,  instead  of  altars. 

What  is  the  rule  relative  to  Altar  Canopies 
in  Roman  Churches? 

The  Ceremonial  of  Bishops  directs  that  a  canopy 
or  baldachin  be  suspended  over  altars,  expansive 
enough  to  protect  altar  and  platform  where  the 
celebrant  stands  from  dust  and  any  foreign  body 
falling  from  the  ceiling.  It  may  be  attached  to 
the  wall  or  reredos  and  hung  from  the  ceiling. 
In  Rome  it  is  usually  a  stationary  structure  of 
marble,  metal  or  wood,  highly  decorated  and 
raised  on  four  columns.  It  is  also  called  a 
ciborium  because  the  ciborium  or  pyx  containing 
the  Eucharist  was  suspended  from  it. 

What  is  peculiar  about  Papal  Altars? 

The  primitive  shape  of  altars  approximated  a 


318  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

table  set  up  on  a  platform,  without  tabernacle  and 
altar  steps,  such  as  we  now  employ  for  candle- 
sticks and  ornaments.  Instead  of  standing  against 
the  wall  of  the  apse,  it  stood  well  forward  leaving 
a  goodly  space  about  it,  and  the  celebrant  took 
his  position  on  the  reverse  side  of  it,  and  looked 
across  it  out  toward  the  people  and  the  portals  of 
the  church,  which  very  frequently  fronted  the 
East.  This  antique  arrangement  is  still  exempli- 
fied in  the  papal  altars  in  the  Roman  Basilicas, 
and  particularly  in  St.  Peter's,  where  the  Pope 
when  he  offers  Mass  looks  (simultaneously)  at  the 
people,  the  church  entrance  and  the  East. 

How  does  the  Pope  Celebrate  Mass  at  this 
Altar? 

The  Papal  Mass  of  the  present  day  contains 
many  customs  of  the  earlier  Liturgy.  This  great 
ceremony  takes  place  on  Easter,  Christmas  and 
St.  Peter's  day,  June  29.  The  deacon  and  sub- 
deacon  at  this  Mass  are  both  Cardinals. 

The  Epistle  and  Gospel  are  read  in  both  Latin 
and  Greek.  The  Pope  elevates  the  Host  at  the 
centre  and  toward  each  side  of  the  altar.  The 
Cardinal  deacon  of  the  gospel  makes  a  second 
"ostention,"  elevating  first  the  Host  and  then  the 
chalice. 

The  Pope  returns  to  the  throne  after  the  Lord's 
prayer  and  "Pax  Domini,"  and  the  deacon  brings 
the  Host  to  him,  the  Pope   kneeling   while   the 


The  Requisites  of  the  Mass  319 

deacon  comes  from  the  altar  to  the  throne,  but 
rising  to  receive  holy  Communion. 

There  have  been  many  discussions  concerning 
the  Communion  of  the  throne,  and  as  far  back  as 
Innocent  III  we  find  in  this  Pope's  writing:  "The 
Roman  Pontiff  does  not  communicate  where  he 
breaks"— that  is,  where  he  breaks  the  Host  in  the 
Mass— "he  breaks  at  the  altar,  but  communicates 
at  his  seat;  the  reason  for  this  being  that  Christ 
broke  the  bread  before  the  disciples  at  Emmaus 
but  ate  before  the  twelve  apostles  at  Jerusalem." 

St.  Bonaventure  writes  that  this  rite  may  ex- 
press the  Passion  of  our  Lord,  who  suffered 
exposed  to  the  general  view,  with  every  one  pass- 
ing around  Him.  It  is  certain  that  the  deacon 
bringing  the  Eucharist  to  the  Pope  is  a  very 
ancient  ceremony,  coming  down  from  the  days 
when  the  saying  of  Mass  was  in  every  way — in  act 
and  signification — made  a  united  and  a  common 
action,  and  when  the  bishop  did  not  perform  all 
the  Liturgy  at  the  altar,  as  the  celebrant  of  the 
Mass  of  the  present  day  does. 

At  the  Elevation  in  the  Pope's  Mass  no  bell  is 
rung.  The  ancient  rubric  directed  that  the  bell  at 
Consecration  should  be  rung  at  a  low  Mass  but 
not  at  a  High  Mass,  when  it  is  easier  to  follow  the 
action  of  the  celebrant.  This  explains  how  the 
clear-toned  silver  trumpets  came  into  use.  These 
trumpets  are  sounded  from  within  the  dome  of 


320  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

St.  Peter's  at  the  Consecration  during  the  Pope's 
Mass,  a  sound  which  has  been  seldom  heard  since 
the  eventful  year  of  1870. 

The  Pax  is  given  at  the  usual  place  by  the 
Pope  to  the  Cardinal  bishop  (who  as  assistant 
priest  represented  the  archbishop  of  Rome  of  olden 
times)  then  the  two  assistant  Cardinal  deacons, 
keeping  the  kiss  of  peace  for  the  Cardinal  deacon 
of  the  gospel  until  after  Communion.  On  other 
occasions  in  his  low  Mass  in  our  times  the  Pope 
kisses  the  instrument  called  the  pax,  introduced 
in  later  times.  In  other  ways  the  Pope's  low 
Mass  does  not  differ  from  that  of  any  other 
bishop. 

What  is  the  modern  construction  of  Altars? 

They  are  furnished  with  steps  for  candlesticks 
and  ornaments,  and  with  a  small  enclosed  struc- 
ture midway  for  the  reservation  and  custody  of 
the  Blessed  Sacrament. 

What  is  this  structure  called? 

It  is  called  a  Tabernacle. 

Whence  the  name  Tabernacle? 

From  the  Latin  word   taberna  (hut  or  inn). 

What  is  the  object  of  the  Tabernacle? 

To  guard  and  hold  the  consecrated  Hosts  con- 
tained in  their  sacred  repositories,  such  as  ciborium, 
pyx  or  luna  for  the  Ostensorium,  Benediction, 
Viaticum  and  Communion  of  the  faithful. 


The  Requisites  of  the  Mass         321 


ALTAR   AND  TABERNACLE 


May  then  the  Blessed  Eucharist  be  kept  in 
every  Tabernacle? 

No.  Only  (1)  in  that  of  every  cathedral  and 
parish  church. 

(2)  In  chapels  of  religious  communities  whose 
members  take  solemn  vows. 

(3)  By  special  Apostolic  and  Episcopal  permis- 
sion in  other  churches,  oratories,  public  and 
private  chapels.  In  the  United  States  the  facul- 
ties of  the  bishop  fix  the  limits  of  this  permission 
and  the  frequency  of  the  Mass  celebration  as  a 
condition  for  its  enjoyment. 


322  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

Is  it  allowable  to  keep  the  Sacred  Host  in 
more  than  one  Tabernacle  in  the  same  church? 

It  is  to  be  kept  on  one  altar  and  in  one  taber- 
nacle only  in  each  church.  This  is  to  be,  ordinarily, 
the  tabernacle  on  the  high  altar  in  parish  and  other 
churches.  It  may  be  temporarily  transferred  to 
another  altar  for  Communion  and  Benediction, 
and  during  the  months  of  May  and  June  for  the 
convenience  of  May  and  June  devotions.  In 
cathedrals  and  very  large  parish  churches,  it  may 
be  permanently  placed  in  side  chapels  so  as  not  to 
interfere  with  pontifical  and  other  solemn  cere- 
monies. 

How  would  it  interfere  with  these  cere- 
monies? 

Such  ceremonies  at  best  are  very  complicated. 
Facility  and  simplicity  of  movement  is  most  de- 
sirable. In  the  absence  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament 
a  mere  inclination  of  the  head  is  sufficient  recog- 
nition of  the  crucifix  as  the  officiating  ministers 
move  to  and  fro.  If  the  Blessed  Sacrament  is  in 
the  tabernacle  the  reverence  must  assume  a  genu- 
flexion, and  movement  would  be  restrained  more 
or  less  out  of  deference  to  the  presence  of  God  on 
the  altar. 

Has  the  Sacred  Host  been  always  kept  in  a 
Tabernacle  in  a  church  or  chapel? 

Not  alwavs,  because  the  tabernacle  with  which  we 
are  familiar  is  comparatively  a  modern  construction. 


The  Requisites  of  the  Mass         323 

How  was  the  Sacred  Host  Reserved  in 
Primitive  Times? 

"Because,"  according  to  St.  Cyprian,  "the  Holy 
Eucharist  is  a  food  unto  salvation,"  there  has 
always  prevailed  the  custom  of  reserving  the 
Blessed  Sacrament  for  the  sick  and  well  in  some 
form.  In  the  time  of  persecution,  the  first  chris- 
tains  kept  the  Eucharist  at  home  and  gave  Com- 
munion to  themselves.  According  to  a  Lapide, 
Mary,  Queen  of  Scots,  was  vouchsafed  this  same 
privilege  during  her  long  prison  life.  It  was  also 
sent  from  bishop  to  bishop  as  a  sign  of  Christian 
comity.  It  was  also  carried  by  lay  persons  as  a 
protection  against  danger,  a  custom  which  must 
have  continued  well  into  the  Middle  ages,  as  St. 
Thomas  a  Becket  carried  the  Eucharist  with  him 
when  he  went  to  meet  Henry  II,  and  by  permis- 
sion of  the  Papal  Legate,  St.  Louis  was  similarly 
privileged  on  his  Crusades.  Not  only  was  the 
Host  given  the  dead,  but  it  was  also  buried  with 
the  dead,  as  in  the  case  of  St.  Benedict  and  St. 
Basil.  The  pen  was  sometimes  dipped  in  the  Con- 
secrated wine  in  subscribing  decrees  of  Councils, 
and  in  the  instance  of  Pope  Theodore  when  he 
condemned  the  heresiarch,  Pyrrhus.  When  Pope 
Urban  II  dedicated  the  abbey  church  of  Marmou- 
tier,  he  deposited  three  portions  of  the  Host  in  the 
altar  and  sealed  them  with  cement.  All  these 
abnormal  uses  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament  have  long 
since  been  abrogated  by  Papal  and  conciliar  decrees. 


324  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

What  is  the  Oldest  Form  of  a  Place  for 
Reserving  the  Blessed  Sacrament? 

In  a  chamber  at  the  side  of  the  church  corres- 
ponding to  our  Sacristy,  and  called  therefrom, 
Thalamus  (chamber  or  inner-room).  Later  it 
was  kept  in  an  ambry  set  up  in  a  corner  of  the 
church,  or  on  a  column,  such  as  we  now  have  for 
the  holy  oils.  The  oldest  tabernacle  had  the  form 
of  a  detached  tower,  placed  in  a  side  chapel  or 
near  the  gospel  side  of  the  high  altar.  Constan- 
tine  gave  one  of  gold  and  jewels  to  St.  Peter's, 
Rome,  and  Innocent  I  and  Hilary  I  also  gave 
tower-tabernacles  to  St.  John  Lr.teran  and  the 
church  of  St.  Gervase  and  Protase  of  the  same 
city.  This  tower  form  was  subsequently  suc- 
ceeded by  tabernacles  in  the  shape  of  a  covered 
cup,  a  small  box,  and  a  dove  suspended  above  or 
behind  the  altar.  This  latter  tabernacle  may  yet 
be  seen  in  France  and  Spain.  As  a  rule,  the  place 
of  the  Eucharistic  reservation  is  accessible  in  every 
church  for  purposes  of  prayer  and  worship.  In 
the  cathedral  of  Terceira,  one  of  the  Azores,  the 
Host  is,  however,  kept  in  a  tabernacle  of  solid 
silver  in  a  deeply  recessed  chapel,  the  entrance  to 
which  is  closed  by  locked  doors. 

What  is  the  explanation  of  this  form  of  Re- 
servation as  compared  with  more  modern 
methods? 

The  solution  is  to  be  sought  in  the  gradual 


The  Requisites  of  the  Mass         325 

development  of  a  specific  devotional  feeling 
toward  the  Blessed  Sacrament  which  culminated 
in  these  later  days  in  the  union  of  altar  and 
tabernacle,  sacrifice  and  sacrament,  which  in  primi- 
tive times  and  many  centuries  after  were  entirely 
distinct  from  one  another. 

In  the  early  and  Middle  ages  the  idea  connected 
with  the  reservation  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament  was 
not,  as  now,  that  of  worship,  but  of  viaticum. 
Devotion  to  the  Real  Presence  then  found  its  full 
response  in  the  sacrifice  of  the  altar.  The  Divine 
Victim  was  adored  as  truly  present,  but  present 
to  be  sacrificed.  In  the  tabernacle,  as  it  then  was, 
the  precious  remnants  of  the  sacrifice  were  re- 
served for  the  sick  unable  to  be  present.  To  pro- 
vide for  other  communicants,  who,  at  most, 
approached  the  altar  four  or  five  times  a  year 
and  on  certain  great  festivals,  the  parish  priests, 
knowing  the  number  of  communicants,  conse- 
crated the  required  number  of  Particles  in  the  Mass. 

After  the  Reformation  and  toward  the  end  of 
the  sixteenth  century,  the  Church  encouraged 
frequent  Communion  as  an  antidote  to  the  attacks 
of  heresy  and  as  nourishing  faith  and  fervor. 
This  practice  of  frequent  communion  at  uncer- 
tain times  emphasized  the  inconvenience  of  a 
tabernacle  separate  from  the  altar,  and  led  to  the 
adoption  of  a  receptacle  immediately  upon  the 
altar  itself  in  order  that  sufficient  Hosts  might  be 
at  hand  to  give  to  the  faithful. 


326  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

In  the  Middle  Ages  hoiv  was  the  Host  re- 
served? 

Before  the  construction  of  the  tabernacle,  as  we 
know  it,  the  following  were  the  methods  of  re- 
servation: 

(1)  On  the  Gospel  side  of  the  altar,  rarely  on 
that  of  the  Epistle,  and  sometimes  on  the  east 
wall  of  the  sanctuary  behind  the  altar,  a  small 
cupboard  or  recess,  closed  with  strong  doors  or  an 
iron  grille,  called  Ambry  (armarium  or  arma- 
riolum — the  chest  in  a  Roman  house  for  food, 
clothing,  money,  etc. ) 

(2)  A  pyx  hung  by  chains  or  silken  cords  from 
the  altar  canopy  covering  the  altar  of  large 
churches,  or  from  a  roof  beam  in  smaller  ones, 
having  its  own  little  cone-shaped  canopy  of  silk  or 
cloth  of  gold  usually  surmounted  by  a  crown  of 
gold  or  silver,  and  sometimes  a  triple  crown.  This 
manner  of  reservation  had  very  probably  a  Byzan- 
tine origin  introduced  into  France  and  Spain  in 
the  sixth  or  seventh  centuries,  and  afterwards 
into  England,  although  Italy  never  favored  it. 

( 3 )  Sacramenthausen  in  Germany  ( Sacrament 
house),  also  in  Scotland  of  a  simpler  form,  was  an 
elaborated  detached  structure  standing  near  the 
wall,  rising  high,  with  pinnacles  and  crockets  and 
roof  like  a  church  tower  adorned  with  figures  of 
angels  and  saints  and  emblems  of  the  Blessed 
Sacrament  and  of  the  Passion. 


The  Requisites  of  the  Mass         327 

(4)  Under  the  altar.  Thus  the  statutes  of 
Liege  in  1287  directed  that  "the  Lord's  Body 
should  be  zealously  guarded  under  lock  and  key, 
either  in  some  becoming  place  beneath  the  altar, 
or  in  the  "Armarium"— -or  wall  ambry.  In 
Notre  Dame,  Paris,  the  Host  with  the  vestments 
was  placed  in  a  cupboard,  called  the  conditoire, 
under  a  small  altar  behind  the  high  altar. 

(5)  In  some  parts  of  France  the  Blessed  Sacra- 
ment was  kept  in  a  small  portable  casket,  which 
was  placed  on  the  altar  during  Mass  and  then  re- 
moved. This  practice  never  received  Episcopal 
approval  and  the  safer  ambry  was  recommended. 

(6)  With  the  dawn  of  the  Reformation  and  the 
outbreak  of  violence  directed  against  the  altar  and 
receptacles  of  the  Sacred  Host  as  vestiges  of  an 
idolatrous  age,  more  secure  methods  were  intro- 
duced for  the  custody  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament. 
As  forecasting  the  coming  day,  the  Provincial 
Synods  of  Canterbury  (1280-81)  under  Archbishop 
Peckham,  direct  that  "a  tabernacle  be  constructed 
in  each  parish  church  with  lock  and  key,"  (cum 
clausura),  and  the  Synod  of  Exeter  (1287)  pre- 
scribes for  each  parish  church  "an  immovable 
stone  receptacle  for  the  Sacrament,"  {Sacramen- 
tarium  lavideum  et  immobile) ,  whilst  the  Coun- 
cil of  Lateran  (1215)  fixed  the  norm  of  care  by 
decreeing  that  the  Blessed  Sacrament  was  always 
to  be  kept  under  lock  and  key  for  fear  of  sacrilege. 
The  unsafety  and  inconvenience  of  the  suspended 


328  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

pyx,  and  the  dampness  of  the  recessed  ambry 
begot  in  time  the  ornate,  isolated  Sacrament 
House,  which  was  eventually  supplanted  by  the 
modern  tabernacle  as  an  altar  adjunct,  because  of 
the  awakened  desire  of  the  people  for  more  fre- 
quent Communion. 

What  is  the  position  oj  the  Modern  Taber- 
nacle? 

It  should  be  firmly  and  permanently  fixed  to  the 
base  of  the  altar,  to  the  rear,  and  flanked  with  the 
altar  steps  (for  candlesticks).  It  should  be  at  least 
2  feet  ?>y2  inches  from  the  front  edge  of  the  altar 
to  give  sufficient  space  to  the  corporal  and  the 
chalice  and  ciborium  in  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass. 
It  should  not  be  so  far  removed  from  the  front  as 
to  demand  a  special  step  for  the  priest  when  he 
wishes  to  take  out  the  Blessed  Sacrament. 

What  is  the  material  of  the  Tabernacle? 

Precious  metal,  marble  or  wood,  always  more  or 
less  decorated.  When  constructed  of  metal  or 
marble  it  must  have  a  lining  of  wood  to  prevent 
dampness. 

What  is  its  form? 

The  form  is  optional.  It  may  therefore  be 
eight  or  six-sided,  square  or  round,  and  of  any 
form  of  architecture  to  suit  the  altar  or  church. 
The  size  will  depend  upon  its  needs  and  the  pro- 


The  Requisites  of  the  Mass        329 

portions  of  altar  and  church.  Although  the  rub- 
rics are  silent  on  the  revolving  tabernacle,  yet  it 
does  not  seem  to  conform  to  liturgical  propriety 
and  it  has  never  been  tolerated  in  Rome.  The 
same  is  true  of  the  bi-lateral  or  double  compart- 
mented-tabernacle,  one  of  which  serves  the 
ordinary  uses  of  a  tabernacle,  and  the  other  is 
furnished  with  a  revolving  contrivance  for  the 
carriage  of  the  ostensorium  at  the  time  of  Ex- 
position. 

What  of  the  decorations  of  the  Tabernacle? 

Only  the  altar  crucifix  is  allowed,  and  this  with 
limitations,  to  stand  on  the  tabernacle.  Not  only 
is  it  forbidden  to  place  reliquaries,  statues,  pic- 
tures, flowers,  etc.  on  the  tabernacle,  but  also  in 
front  of  the  tabernacle  door  to  conceal  the  door 
thereof. 

The  inside  of  the  tabernacle  should  have  over 
the  wooden  lining  a  covering  of  cloth  of  gold, 
white  silk,  or  linen.  To  exclude  dust,  an  inside 
curtain  of  white  silk  in  the  door  space  is  recom- 
mended, though  not  prescribed.  A  corporal  is 
spread  over  the  bottom.  Only  the  Blessed  Sacra- 
ment and  the  sacred  vessels  containing  it,  or  not 
as  yet  purified,  can  be  placed  in  it.  It  is  to  be 
securely  fastened  with  lock  and  key.  There 
should  be  two  keys  of  silver,  or  of  iron  gilded  or 
silvered.    These  are  never  to  be  left  in  the  taber- 


330  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

nacle  door,  nor  in  any  open  place,  but,  whether  of 
church  or  chapel  tabernacle,  the  key  is  to  be 
always  under  the  personal  custody  of  the  priest. 
When  the  Blessed  Sacrament  is  removed,  the 
tabernacle  door  should  be  left  ajar  and  the  light 
extinguished  lest  the  people  be  led  into  error  con- 
cerning the  Real  Presence. 

Should  the  Tabernacle  be  Blessed? 

Its  blessing  is  not  mandatory,  as  the  blessing  of 
the  ritual  seems  rather  intended  for  the  ciborium 
and  pyx.  It  is,  however,  commendable  to  bless  it 
with  the  same  form,  which  may  be  done  by  any 
priest  who  has  the  requisite  faculty. 

What  are  the  Tabernacle  Adjuncts  or 
Appur  tenances  ? 

Three.  The  Canopy,  Tabernacle  Lamp  and 
Throne  of  Exposition  or  Thabor. 

What  is  the  Canopy? 

It  is  that  tent-like  mantle  made  of  precious 
material,  like  silk,  brocade,  cloth  of  gold,  etc., 
which  is  sometimes  used  to  cover  the  tabernacle, 
and,  dividing  in  the  front  shows  the  tabernacle 
door.  It  is  not  in  general  use,  nor  is  it  of  obliga- 
tion. 

What  is  the  Tabernacle  Lamp? 


The  Requisites  of  the  Mass 


331 


It  is  the  lamp  which  must 
continually  burn,  night  and 
day,  before  the  tabernacle 
in  honor  of  the  Blessed  Sac- 
rament whilst  it  is  there 
present.  It  may  hang  either 
by  a  chain  from  the  ceiling 
in  front  of  the  tabernacle, 
or  from  brackets  on  the  side, 
if  these  brackets  are  in 
the  sanctuary  and  not  be- 
hind the  tabernacle.  The 
Ceremonial  of  bishops  re- 
commends that  if  there  be 
more  than  one  lamp,  the 
number  should  be  uneven, 
like  three  or  five. 

What  Kind  of  Oil  must 
be  Burned  in  these  Lamps? 

Olive  oil  is  prescribed.  Oil 
containing  between  60  and 
65  per  cent  of  pure  olive  oil  is  supposed  to  be 
legitimate.  Where  olive  oil  is  not  procurable  the 
bishops  may  allow  other  oils,  as  far  as  possible, 
vegetable,  and  also  beeswax,  in  the  same  propor- 
tion as  the  rubrics  prescribe  for  the  candles  at 
Mass.  Where  neither  olive  oil  nor  vegetable 
oil  can  be  procured,  the  bishop,  according  to  the 
opinion  of  theologians,  would  be  justified  in  per- 


SANCTL'ARY    LAMP 


332 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


mitting  the  use  of  kerosene.     Gas  and  electricity 
are  forbidden  as  substitutes  for  oil  and  candles. 

What  is  a  Throne  of  Exposition  or  Thabor? 

An  ornamental  elevation  usually  of  metal,  on 
which  the  Blessed  Sacrament  is  placed  when 
exposed  in  the  os- 
tensorium.  There 
is  no  need  of  a 
Thabor  when  the 
altar  has  a  canopy 
over  its  tabernacle, 
where  the  Exposi- 
tion is  made.  The  Thabor  should  have  a 
canopy  under  which  the  ostensorium  is  placed. 
(Decree  of  April  23,  1875,  S.  R.  C.)  Hence  the 
ordinary  Thabors  constructed  without  canopies 
are  unrubrical.  Its  use  should  be  reserved  exclu- 
sively for  the  Blessed  Sacrament. 


THABOR 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

PRIVILEGED   ALTAR. 

What  is  a  Privileged  Altar? 
An  altar  to  which  is  attached  a  plenary  indul- 
gence applicable  to  the  souls  in  Purgatory. 

Who  has  the  Authority  to  enrich  an  Altar 
with  this  Privilege? 

Primarily,  the  Holy  See.  Secondarily,  with  us 
the  bishops  exercising  a  power  delegated  to  them 
by  the  Holy  See  have,  ordinarily,  the  power  of 
granting  a  local  privileged  altar  to  any  church  or 
chapel  where  parochial  functions  are  performed. 

To  whom  does  this  privilege  apply? 

To  every  priest,  secular  or  religious,  who  law- 
fully says  Mass  according  to  the  rubrics  on  the 
aforementioned  altar. 

Is  this  Episcopal  Power  limited  by  any  con- 
dition? 

It  cannot  be  exercised  except  in  a  church  or 
chapel  where  there  is  no  other  altar  of  the  same 
kind. 

How  is  this  condition  interpreted? 
It  is  understood  as  designating  an  altar  identi- 
cally privileged  for  the  same  class  of  persons. 


334  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

May  there  be  more  than  one  Privileged  Altar 
in  the  same  Church? 

There  cannot  be  two  altars  privileged  in  the 
same  terms.  There  may  be,  however,  one  privi- 
leged altar  for  the  deceased  members  of  a  religious 
society,  like  the  Holy  Family  or  Living  Rosary, 
and  another  for  the  faithful  departed  generally, 
without  restriction  to  this  or  that  class. 

Does  not  one  Privilege  nullify  the  other  in 
this  case? 

The  Sacred  Congregation  of  Indulgences  (May 
21,  1742)  answered  in  the  negative,  because  the 
altars  are  not  similarly  privileged. 

Is  there  any  time  limit  affixed  to  a  Privileged 
Altar? 

Some  are  privileged  for  All  Souls  and  the  Forty 
Hours  devotion,  others  for  seven  years,  and  others 
in  perpetuity. 

Can  the  limited  privilege  be  interchanged 
for  the  perpetual  one? 

If  the  petitioner  neglects  to  mention  the  exist- 
ence of  an  altar  already  temporarily  privileged,  the 
grant  of  a  perpetual  privilege  is  invalid.  If  it  is 
mentioned  with  the  date  of  expiration,  the  tem- 
porary privilege  is  supposed  to  be  annulled  by  the 
perpetual  privilege;  otherwise,  two  similarly  privi- 
leged altars  would  exist  in  the  church  at  the 
same  time. 


Privileged  Altar  335 

When  did  the  custom  of  privileging  Altars 
originate? 

The  date  is  uncertain.  Some  attribute  it  to  St. 
Gregory  the  Great  at  the  end  of  the  sixth  century; 
others,  like  Bellarmine  and  Biel,  to  Paschal  I  (817- 
824).  This  Pope  built  the  church  of  St.  Praxedes 
and  as  one  of  its  chapels  was  said  to  contain  the 
pillar  of  Scourging,  its  altar  was  privileged  in 
honor  of  this  memorial  of  the  Passion.  It  is  in- 
disputable that  Gregory  XIII  (1572-1585)  did 
privilege  the  altar  of  St.  Nicholas  in  the  church  of 
St.  Augustine  at  Bergamo,  and  because  of  this, 
Thiers  taught  that  the  practice  began  with  this 
pontiff.  This  statement,  however,  cannot  be  true 
because  there  is  extant  a  decree  of  his  predecessor, 
Julius  II  in  1552,  granting  the  same  favor,  and 
Gregory  XIII  in  the  Indult  enriching  the  cathedral 
of  Narni  with  a  privileged  altar  mentions  that  the 
church  of  St.  Gregory  at  Rome  was  already  in  the 
enjoyment  of  the  same  prerogative. 

How  is  the  Privilege  divided? 

It  is  local  and  personal;  local,  when  attached  to 
a  particular  altar;  personal,  when  granted  to  the 
priest  himself  without  reference  to  the  altar. 

What  is  required  in  the  Altar  before  it  can 
be  Privileged? 

It  must  be  a  fixture,  not  fixed  in  the  liturgical 
sense.     A  fixed  altar  is  one  whose  slab  or  table 


336  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

and  base,  always  stone,  are  permanently  united 
and  the  line  of  juncture  annointed  to  signify  that 
they  together  constitute  the  altar.  A  fixture 
means  a  structure  of  stone  or  wood  of  a  perma- 
nent kind,  visible  in  most  of  our  churches,  and 
commonly  called  the  altar.  Because  it  is  a 
fixture,  it  is  differentiated  from  a  temporary  altar 
which  is  erected  for  a  particular  feast,  or  occasion, 
or  for  a  transient  season  of  devotion. 

In  this  case,  is  the  Privilege  given  the  Altar 
or  the  stone? 

It  is  given  the  altar.  Therefore,  the  privilege 
is  not  forfeited  if  the  altar  stone  be  removed  and 
another  inserted,  or  if  the  same  stone  be  used  on 
different  altars. 

7s  the  Privilege  ever  attached  to  an  Altar 
Stone? 

The  altar  stone  is  known  as  a  portable  altar. 
To  it  may  be  annexed  the  privilege  by  special 
Indult.  To  make  the  grant  valid,  special  mention 
of  a  portable  altar  must  be  made  in  the  petition, 
although  not  in  the  answer. 

What  is  the  Official  Interpretation  of  the 
term  "Fixture"  as  it  affects  the  permanency 
of  the  Privilege? 

It  does  not  so  attach  that  if  the  structure  were 
damaged  or  totally  destroyed,  or  even  another 


Privileged  Altar  337 

altar  substituted  for  it,  the  privilege  would  neces- 
sarily be  forfeited. 

If  the  privilege  is  granted  to  an  altar  because 
of  a  special  title,  or  as  dedicated  to  some  mystery 
or  saint,  as,  for  example,  the  Sacred  Heart  or 
Blessed  Virgin  or  St.  Aloysius,  this  title  is  recorded 
in  the  Indult  and  the  privilege  is  lost  when  the 
title  is  changed. 

If  the  privilege  is  given  to  an  altar  because  it 
possesses  a  statue  or  a  picture  of  special  devotion 
mentioned  in  the  Indult,  it  lapses  with  the  destruc- 
tion or  removal  of  this  possession. 

If  the  privilege  endows  a  high  altar  specifically, 
it  is  lost  by  any  alteration  which  degrades  the 
high  altar  to  a  secondary  and  inferior  rank. 

Therefore,  a  mere  change  in  the  altar  does  not 
necessitate  a  loss  of  the  privilege.  A  new  altar 
may  be  substituted  for  the  old,  differing  from  it 
in  material,  shape  and  dimensions;  it  may  even 
have  a  new  situs  in  the  church  and  yet  retain  its 
privilege.  The  same  tenacity  of  privilege  holds 
in  the  case  of  a  new  church  and  new  altar  if  it 
occupy  the  place  of  a  former  one.  A  difference  of 
locality,  or  a  transfer  of  the  altar  to  another 
church,  however,  carries  with  it  a  forfeiture  of 
the  privilege. 

What  are  the  conditions  necessary  to  obtain 

the  Plenary  Indulgence  of  a  Privileged  Altar? 

(1)   A  Mass  of  requiem  must  be   said   when 


338  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

permitted  by  the  rubrics.     When  not  allowed,  the 
Mass  of  the  day  will  suffice. 

(2)  The  indulgence  and  the  application  of  the 
Mass  being  identical,  the  indulgence  must  be 
given  to  the  soul  for  whom  the  Mass  is  offered. 

(3)  The  indulgence  and  Mass  must  be  applied 
to  one  soul  only,  even  on  the  feast  of  All 
Souls. 

(4)  Other  indulgences,  e.  g.  a  plenary  by  his 
Communion,  obtained  by  the  celebrant  on  a  privi- 
leged altar,  are  his  personal  asset  to  be  applied 
where  he  listeth. 

(5)  These  other  indulgences,  even  plenary, 
cannot  be  substituted  for  the  failure  to  obtain  the 
indulgence  of  the  privileged  altar. 

What  is  the  Special  Fruit  of  a  Mass  on  a 
Privileged  Altar? 

A  plenary  indulgence  applicable  to  a  soul  in 
Purgatory. 

What  is  a  Plenary  Indulgence? 

The  liquidation  of  all  the  temporal  debt  due  God's 
justice  because  of  our  sins,  or  the  remission  of  all 
the  temporary  punishment  due  our  sins  after  their 
forgiveness. 

Who  declares  an  Indulgence? 

The  Holy  See  for  the  whole  Church,  unre- 
strictedly, and   cardinals,  apostolic  nuntios,  arch- 


Privileged  Altar  339 

bishops     and     bishops     within    their    respective 
jurisdictions,  restrictedly. 

Whence  is  the  fruit  fulness  of  an  Indulgence 

derived? 

From  the  "Treasury  of  the  Church,"  by  which 
is  meant  the  infinite  deposit  or  collection  of  the 
merits  of  Christ,  the  Blessed  Virgin  and  saints, 
which  suffice  to  satisfy  for  all  guilt  and  penalty. 
The  redemptive  efficacy  of  Christ's  life  and  death 
and  the  penitential  value  of  the  works  of  the 
saints,  which  exceeded  their  own  needs,  contribute 
the  inexhaustible  resources  of  the  Church  treas- 
ury wherein  are  coined  indulgences  and  from 
which,  they,  as  an  all-sufficient  medium  of  pay- 
ment and  absolution  from  temporal  penalties,  are 
derived. 

Can  an  Indulgence  remit  sin? 

An  indulgence  can  neither  be  a  license  to  com- 
mit sin,  nor  a  forgiveness  of  it.  Neither  does  it 
touch  the  guilt  of  sin,  nor  the  eternal  penalty  due 
a  mortal  sin.  Where  they  are  promulgated  as 
implying  a  forgiveness  of  sins  and  their  penalty, 
they  are  either  spurious,  or  the  term  "sins"  must 
be  taken  for  the  temporal  punishment  incurred  by 
the  sin.  An  unforgiven  sin  is  a  hindrance  to  an 
indulgence. 

How  is  the  term  derived? 

From  an  old  Latin  court  word  "Indulgentia," 
which  juridically  meant  pardon  or  amnesty. 


340  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

What  are  the  conditions  to  gain  an  In- 
dulgence? 

(1)  For  the  living: 

(a)  That  the  seeker  of  the  indulgence  must 
be  a  subject  of  the  authority  granting  it. 

(b)  That  he  ought  to  be  in  a  state  of  grace,  at 
least  when  he  executes  the  last  condition  prescribed 
for  its  gaining. 

(c)  That  he  must  have  an  intention  of  winning 
the  indulgence. 

(d)  That  he  must  perform  all  the  conditions  of 
prayers,  alms,  visits,  etc.,  ordered  by  the  Church. 

(2)  For  the  dead: 

(a)  The  definite  announcement  of  such  an 
indulgence  by  the  Holy  See,  which  reserves  to 
itself  all  such  indulgences. 

(b)  At  least  an  habitual  intention  of  applying 
these  to  the  dead. 

(c)  Whether  a  state  of  grace  is  required  in  one 
who  seeks  an  indulgence  for  the  dead  has  never 
been  decided.  It  is  almost  certain,  however,  that 
the  indulgence  of  a  privileged  altar,  whether  local 
or  personal,  is  gained  by  a  celebrant  who  is  not  in 
the  state  of  grace. 

Is  this  Plenary  Indulgence  oj  a  Privileged 
Altar  infallibly  obtained? 

It  is  when  all  the  conditions  are  observed. 


Privileged  Altar  341 

When  is  it  Plenary? 

It  is  plenary  only  as  it  is  gained  by  the  celebra- 
tion of  the  Mass. 

Is  the  Indulgence  Plenary  in  its  application? 
It  is  not  necessarily  plenary  in  its  application. 

Does  the  Soul  limit  its  Efficacy? 
The  soul  cannot,   because  it  is   confirmed   in 
grace  and  has  no  affection  for  even  venial  sin. 

Does  the  Church  limit  it? 
Neither  in  will  nor  in  resources  does  the  Church 
limit  it. 

Does  the  Celebrant  limit  it? 
The  celebrant  complies  with  all  the  conditions 
and,  therefore,  does  not  limit  it. 

How  explain  the  uncertainty  in  the  measure 
of  the  application  of  the  Indulgence? 
It  arises  from  two  causes: 

(1)  The  dead  are  entirely  in  God's  hands,  hav- 
ing gone  from  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Church, 
though  not  beyond  the  magic  circle  of  the  Com- 
munion of  saints  or  the  reach  of  prayers  and 
Masses. 

(2)  In  the  absence  of  all  special  revelation,  and 
such  is  not  to  be  expected,  we  know  nothing  of 
the  burden  of  debt  which  a  departing  soul 
staggers  under  as  it  approaches  the  other  world, 


342  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

nor  how  often  God's  grace  has  been  unheeded 
and  His  mercy  abused.  We  know  nothing  of 
the  decrees  of  God's  justice  as  to  their  severity 
or  duration  in  the  purging  and  disciplining  [of 
such  a  soul. 

How  is  the  Indulgence  applied? 

It  is  offered  to  God  by  the  Church  as  a  plenary 
indulgence  and  its  acceptance  as  such  is  besought, 
but  because  we  are  ignorant  of  God's  designs  and 
purposes  in  the  case  of  every  soul,  and  all  de- 
liverance and  refreshment  must  conform  to  the 
laws  of  His  justice,  we  cannot,  therefore,  be  ab- 
solutely sure  in  what  measure  God  accepts  our 
tender  of  a  plenary  indulgence.  All  depends  on 
the  good  pleasure  of  God. 

What  is  this  mode  of  application  called? 
It  is  called  "after  the  manner  of  a  suffrage." 

What  does  "Suffrage"  mean? 
Here   it   signifies   according   to    the    medieval 
Latinists,  alms,  aid,  or  payment. 

Hoiv  is  the  personal  privilege  of  a  privileged 
Altar  obtained? 

By  petition  to  Rome,  and,  ipso  facto,  by  virtue 
of  a  religious  title  and  a  form  of  religious  heroism. 

Who  enjoy  the  personal  privilege  by  the 
second  method? 


Privileged  Altar  343 

The  priests  of  the  Minor  Conventuals  of  St. 
Francis  when,  according  to  the  constitutions  of 
their  Order,  they  offer  Mass  for  a  deceased  Pope, 
cardinal  protector,  king,  superiors,  associates 
and  their  parents.  The  personal  privilege  of  a 
privileged  altar  every  day  is  also,  ipso  facto, 
shared  by  a  priest  who  has  made  the  heroic  act, 
i.  e.  resolved  to  offer  by  the  hands  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin  all  the  expiatory  merits  of  his  good  works, 
and  shall  say,  when  allowed,  his  Masses  for  the 
dead  and  use  black  vestments. 

Is  there  any  other  form  of  privileged  Altar? 

There  is  the  Gregorian  altar,  and  altars  with  a 
similar  privilege  variously  erected  by  permission 
of  the  Pope  and  called  Gregorian  altars  ad  instar, 
or  similar  to. 

What  is  the  type  of  the  Gregorian  Altar? 

It  is  an  altar  in  the  church  of  St.  Gregory  on 
the  Coelian  hill,  Rome,  which  according  to  tra- 
dition is  so  exceptionally  privileged  that  a  Mass 
celebrated  on  it  will  surely  liberate  the  soul  from 
Purgatory  for  whom  offered.  This  confidence  is 
even  declared  "pious  and  approved"  by  the  Sacred 
Congregation  of  Indulgences  (March  15,  1884). 

The  same  Congregation  also  approved  of  thirty 
Masses  to  be  said  on  consecutive  days  on  this  altar 
after  the  example  of  St.  Gregory,  with  the  almost 
certain  hope  that  they,  through  the  intercession 


344  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

of  the  saint,  would  issue  in  eternal  rest  for  the 
soul.  Whilst  mention  of  the  Masses  is  found  in 
his  Dialogues,  the  certain  efficacy  of  the  Masses 
has  never  been  decided  by  the  Church  and  is  more 
a  pious  belief  than  an  authorized  doctrine. 

Bibliography:  American  Eccles-  Review,  March,  1889; 
Irish  Eccles.  Record,  1881,  p.  362;  Waplehorst,  4th.  Ed. 
Benzigers,  1892,  no.  35;  Noldin,  S.  J.,  Theologia  Moralis, 
1904;  Catholic  Dictionary  (Addis  &  Arnold)  1884,  p.  440; 
Genicot,  S.  J.,  Theologia  Moralis,  1900,  vol.  II. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

ALTAR  CLOTHS,   ANTEPENDIUM,    CERE-CLOTH, 

VESPERAL. 

How  many  Altar  Cloths  are  there? 

Strictly  speaking  the  term  applies  only  to  the 
triple  cloth  covering  the  table  of  the  altar.  There 
are  besides,  the  antependium,  the  cere-cloth  or 
chrismal,  the  vesperal,  and,  until  the  eleventh  cen- 
tury, the  corporal,  which  prior  to  that  date  covered 
the  entire  table  of  the  altar  above  the  triple  cover- 
ing, and  since  then  has  been  gradually  shrinking 
into  the  proportions  it  has  now. 

What  is  the  material  of  the  7  rivle  Altar 
Cloth? 

It  must  be  made  of  linen  or  hemp.  No  other 
material  is  allowed,  even  though  it  may  equal  or 
surpass  the  linen  for  whiteness,  cleanliness  and 
firmness.     (Decree  of  May  15,  1819). 

Do  they  require  a  blessing? 

They  must  be  blessed  by  the  bishop  or  one  hav- 
ing the  necessary  power.  In  the  United  States 
this  power  is  granted  by  bishops  to  priests  in 
general.  Mass  may  be  offered  licitly  only  on  an 
altar  which  is  covered  with  three  altar  cloths 
already  blessed. 


346  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

What  is  the  number  of  these  cloths  and  their 
dimensions? 

They  must  be  three.  The  two  lower  cloths 
must  cover  the  entire  table  of  the  altar,  whether 
it  be  a  portable  or  consecrated  fixed  altar.  They 
need  not  however  be  distinct  pieces.  One  cloth 
turned  back  on  itself  and  made  to  cover  the  altar 
twice,  from  the  Epistle  to  the  Gospel  end,  will 
suffice.  The  top  cloth  must  be  single  and  reach 
to  the  foot  of  the  altar  on  both  ends.  The  front 
edge  overlapping  the  altar,  and  the  two  extremi- 
ties may  be  ornamented  with  lace  or  embroidery 
in  colors. 

Why  are  three  cloths  appointed? 

In  honor  of  the  Most  Blessed  Trinity,  according 
to  Gavantus. 

When  is  the  earliest  mention  oj  them? 

In  the  fourth  century,  at  which  time  they  were 
not  spread  on  the  altar  until  after  the  exclusion 
of  the  catechumens,  or  before  the  Offertory  of  the 
Mass. 

What  is  the  real  and  symbolic  significancy 
of  these  Altar  Cloths? 

Their  real  use  is  to  secure  the  cleanliness  of  the 
altar  and  to  absorb  the  Sacred  Species,  if  by  any 
accident  the  chalice  were  overturned.  Symboli- 
cally, as  the  altar  represents  Christ,  they  are  a 
figure   of  the  faithful  christians   by   whom   the 


Altar  Cloths  347 

Lord  is  surrounded,  as  if  by  precious  garments. 
They  also  typify  the  linen  wrappings  in  which 
the  body  of  Christ  was  enveloped  in  the  tomb,  and 
the  material  hemp  out  of  which  they  are  woven 
bespeaks  the  purity  and  piety  of  the  devout  at- 
tendants at  the  sacrifice.  The  ceremony  of  Holy 
Thursday,  when  the  altar  is  stripped  of  its  cover- 
ings and  ornaments,  suggests  also  that  those  linens 
represent  the  garments  of  the  Saviour  of  which 
He  was  denuded  in  His  Passion. 

§  1. — ANTEPENDIUM. 

What  is  the  Antependium  or  Pallium? 

The  antependium  is  an  appendage  which  covers 
the  entire  front  of  the  altar,  from  the  lower  part 
of  the  table  to  the  platform,  and  from  the  Gospel 
corner  to  that  of  the  Epistle.  If  the  altar  is  so 
placed  that  its  back  can  be  seen  by  the  people,  it 
should  likewise  be  covered  by  an  antependium. 

What  is  the  Material  of  the  Antependium? 

The  material  is  not  prescribed  by  the  rubrics. 
It  is  usually  made  of  the  same  material  as  the 
sacred  vestments.  The  Ceremonial  of  bishops 
recommends  that  for  the  solemn  festivals  more 
precious  and  elaborate  antependia  be  used — of 
gold  and  silver  cloth,  embroidered  silk,  etc. 

What  is  the  Color  oj  the  Antependium? 
The  Missal  directs  that,  so  far  as  possible,  the 


348  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

antependium  should  correspond  in  color  with  the 
feast  or  office  of  the  day.  The  exceptions  are: 
when  the  Blessed  Sacrament  is  publicly  exposed 
the  antependium  must  be  white,  whatever  may  be 
the  color  of  the  vestments;  in  a  solemn  or  chanted 
requiem  Mass  at  an  altar,  in  the  tabernacle  of 
which  the  Blessed  Sacrament  is  reserved,  a  violet 
instead  of  a  black  antependium  must  be  used. 

What  is  the  Liturgical  Ornamentation  of  an 
Antependium? 

Pictures  of  Christ  or  some  facts  in  His  life; 
emblems  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament  such  as  a  peli- 
can, chalice,  host  and  lamb;  representations  of  the 
saint  in  whose  honor  the  church  and  altar  are 
dedicated  to  God,  and  emblems  referring  to  such 
saint.  A  skull,  cross-bones,  etc.  are  barred  from 
portraiture  on  a  black  antependium.  The  same 
prohibition  in  reference  to  antipendia  of  other 
colors  applies  to  anatomical  representations  of 
the  Sacred  Heart  of  our  Lord  and  of  the  Mater 
Dolorosa,  apart  from  the  person  of  Christ  and  His 
Blessed  Mother. 

How  is  the  Antependium  attached  to  the 
Altar? 

By  hooks  or  buttons  inserted  under  the  table  of 
the  altar,  or  it  may  be  pinned  to  one  of  the  lower 
altar  cloths.  It  is  also  sometimes  stretched  on  a 
light  wooden  frame  and  fitted  tightly  under  the 
altar  table.  To  protect  it  from  injury,  a  wooden  or 


Altar  Cloths  349 

metal  guard  about  three  inches  wide  is  placed  at  its 
lower  extremity,  resting  on  the  platform  of  the  altar. 

Is  the  use  of  an  Antependium  always  neces- 
sary? 

Assuming  that  the  antependium  is  intended  as 
an  ornament,  if  the  altar  is  of  stone,  marble  or 
decorated  wood  and  the  table  supported  by 
columns  more  or  less  artistic,  the  ornamental 
character  of  the  altar  is  already  secured  and  the 
antependium  may  be  dispensed  with.  Neverthe- 
less, on  solemn  festivals,  and  in  the  Advent  and 
Lent  the  appropriate  antependium  would  be  a  fit- 
ting adjunct  of  the  services. 

Must  the  Antependium  be  blessed? 

There  is  no  blessing  prescribed  for  the  ante- 
pendium. 

§  2.— THE   CERE-CLOTH. 

How  does  the  Cere-Cloth  derive  its  name? 

From  cera  (wax)  because  it  is  waxed  on  one 
side. 

Is  it  known  by  any  other  name? 

It  is  also  called  a  chrismal,  because  it  covers  and 
protects  an  altar  anointed  by  holy  chrism. 

What  is  its  use? 

It  is  used  to  cover  the  table  of  a  consecrated,  fixed 
altar  by  turning  the  waxed  side  toward  it  in  such 
manner  that  it  shall  be  completely  covered  by  it. 


350  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

Why  is  it  thus  employed? 

Its  purpose  is  to  prevent  the  altar  cloths  from 
being  stained  by  the  sacred  oils  used  in  the  conse- 
cration, and  to  intercept  the  humidity  or  damp- 
ness which  may  form  on  the  cold  surface  of  the 
stone  table  of  the  altar.  It  is  therefore  placed 
under  the  altar  cloths  and  next  to  the  altar. 
Whilst  it  is  an  auxiliary  to  the  triple  altar  cloth,  it 
is  never  to  be  substituted  for  one  of  the  three 
necessary  coverings  of  the  altar. 

What  is  its  material? 

It  must  be  a  white  linen  cloth  reinforced  by  a 
covering  of  melted  wax  on  one  side. 

Is  it  ever  removed? 

It  is  to  remain  the  permanent  shield  on  the 
altar  against  oil  stain  and  dampness,  and  although 
it  may  be  removed  temporarily  at  the  stripping  of 
the  altar  on  Holy  Thursday  and  whenever  the 
altar  is  washed,  it  must  be  replaced  again  under 
the  three  altar  cloths  and  upon  the  altar  table 
with  its  waxed  surface  next  to  the  table. 

Is  it  ever  blessed? 

The  chrismal  is  not  blessed. 

§    3. — ALTAR   COVER. 

What  is  the  Liturgical  name  oj  this  Altar 
Cover? 

It  is  called  a  vesperal. 


Altar  Cloths  351 

Why  is  it  called  Vesperal? 

From  Vespera  (even-tide,  or  evening)  because 
it  is  only  used  after  all  the  sacred  functions  are 
finished,  and  as  these  occupy  the  day  hours,  this 
extra  covering  is  employed  towards  evening  and 
during  the  night.  The  name,  however,  must  not 
be  too  rigidly  interpreted,  as  according  to  the 
general  practice,  altar  services  may  conclude  in  the 
morning  hours  and  be  resumed  again  in  the  after- 
noon and  night.  The  rule  is,  in  the  intervening 
time  between  these  functions,  the  altar  is  to  be 
protected  by  the  vesperal. 

Why  is  the  Vesperal  used? 

To  save  the  altar  cloth  from  stain  and  soil. 

What  is  its  Material? 

Linen,  silk,  wool,  satin,  velvet  or  velveteen. 

What  are  its  Size  and  Color? 

It  should  be  wider  and  longer  than  the  altar  to 
secure  ample  protection  for  the  altar  linens.  The 
color  is  entirely  optional.  St.  Charles  Borromeo, 
however,  expressed  a  preference  for  green.  The 
front  edge  and  extremities  may  be  embroidered, 
or  ornamented  with  fringes.  It  is  not  blessed. 
When  the  altar  is  in  use  for  some  sacred  function, 
the  vesperal  must  be  entirely  withdrawn  and  not 
merely  folded  back  on  the  altar.  (Decree,  June  2, 
1883). 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

THE  CHALICE  AND   PATEN. 

What  is  the  Chalice? 

The  chalice  is  the  Eucharistic  cup  in  which  the 
wine  is  consecrated  in  the  Mass.  In  primitive 
times  it  was  also  the  communion  cup  from  which 
the  laity  received  the  Most  Precious  Blood  when 
Communion  under  both  species  was  allowed. 

By  what  Name  is  it  known  in  Romantic 
Poetry? 

The  Holy  Grail. 

How  is  the  name  derived? 

From  Sang  real  (real,  royal,  true  blood). 

Specifically,  what  is  meant  by  the  Holy 
Grail? 

Either  the  Most  Precious  Blood  of  Christ  col- 
lected at  the  Crucifixion  and  preserved  in  an 
emerald  cup,  or  the  cup  used  at  the  Last  Supper 
and  alleged  to  have  been  brought  to  England  by 
Joseph  of  Aramathea.  With  a  delicate  consistency 
does  christian  tradition  entrust  the  Holy  Grail  to 
the  custody  of  Joseph  of  Aramathea,  for  it  was 
he  who  "buying  fine  linen  wrapped  Him  up  in  it 
and  laid  Him  in  a  new  sepulchre,  wherein  never 
yet  any  man  had  been  laid." 


The  Chalice  and  Paten  353 

In  the  Middle  Ages  where  was  the  Holy 
Grail  much  sought  for? 

In  the  fantastic,  weird  mountain  range  of 
Monserrat  in  Spain. 

Is  it  claimed  now  as  the  possession  of  any 
place  or  Church? 

The  church  of  St.  Lorenzo  in  Genoa,  and 
Valentia  in  Spain  claim  its  possession. 

What  is  the  Value  of  these  Claims  and  the 
whole  Episode  of  the  Holy  Grail? 

Genoa  and  Valentia  very  probably  possess  very 
ancient  chalices,  but  the  "quest  of  the  Holy  Grail" 
is  a  pious  romance,  and  any  alleged  title  to  its 
possession  historically  defective. 

Is  the  Material  of  the  Chalice  of  the  Last 
Supper  known? 

It  is  not  known  with  certainty.  Tradition  is 
divided  between  crystal  and  glass,  agate  and 
silver.  Its  shape  was  that  of  an  amphora  or 
goblet,  or  loving  cup  with  handles  on  both  sides, 
and  its  capacity  that  of  a  sextary,  or  about  one 
pint  and  a  half. 

What  was  the  Material  oj  Ancient  Chalices? 

Gold,  silver,  onyx,  sardonyx,  chrysolite,  marble, 
stone,  glass,  wood,  horn,  ivory  and  pewter.  The 
witticism  of  St.  Boniface,  Bishop  and  Martyr: 
"Formerly   golden   priests  used  wooden  chalices; 


354  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

now  wooden  priests  use  gold  chalices,"  has  also  an 
historical  value  as  indicating  the  usage.  Gasparri, 
however,  (De  Sanct.  Eucharistia,  p.  79)  ventures 
a  doubt  whether  wooden,  marble  and  horn  chalices 
were  ever  legitimate  and  suggests  their  use  was 
always  an  abuse  and  only  sporadic.  Cardinal  Bona 
cites  certain  councils  in  which  the  use  of  these 
chalices  is  severely  censured.  The  testimony  of 
relics  and  frescoes  confirms  the  opinion  that  glass 
chalices  were  often  in  use  in  the  catacombs. 

How  many  kinds  of  Chalices  were  in  vogue 
in  the  Ancient  Church? 

Three — Offertorial,  Ministerial  and  Baptismal. 
The  Offertorial  chalice  was  the  Mass-chalice  used 
only  by  the  celebrant  in  which  the  wine  was  con- 
secrated. It  had  also  its  own  paten,  both  very 
much  larger  than  in  a  later  day. 

The  Ministerial  chalice  was  employed  in  dis- 
pensing the  Precious  Blood  to  lay  communicants. 
It  was  called  scyphus  (cup)  and  had  a  paten  of 
its  own  and  a  double  handle  like  a  loving  cup.  It 
was  the  deacon's  duty  to  care  for  it  and  give  Com- 
munion from  it.  The  custom  of  administering 
Holy  Communion  under  both  species  necessitated 
for  these  chalices  unusual  dimensions.  When  the 
number  of  communicants  was  very  great,  the 
priest  used  the  large  ministerial  chalice  in  the 
Mass,  and  mingled  with  the  Precious  Blood 
ordinary  wine  in  small  proportions  that  the  supply 


The  Chalice  and  Paten  355 

might  not  run  short.     In  the  act  of  Consecrating 
he  never,  however,  used  more  than  one  chalice. 

The  Baptismal  chalice  contained  the  milk  and 
honey  given  to  the  newly  baptized  adults  at  the 
early  Easter  Mass.  Its  offering  to  infants  accord- 
ing to  some  authors  seems  incredible. 

How  many  kinds  of  Chalices  are  now  in 
Vogue? 
Only  one— the  Offertorial. 

When  did  the  others  go  into  disuse? 

The  Baptismal  chalice  had  but  a  brief  existence 
in  the  early  Church,  and  the  ministerial  began  to 
wane  in  the  twelfth  century,  to  be  wholly  sup- 
pressed by  the  Council  of  Constance  (1414). 

Why  did  the  Church  alter  her  Discipline  re- 
garding Lay  Communion  under  both  Species? 

To  discredit  and  repudiate  the  error  of  Huss, 
Jerome  of  Prague,  Jacobellus  of  Misnia  and  Peter 
of  Dresden,  who  publicly  censured  the  Church  for 
having  refused  the  people  Communion  under  both 
kinds,  and  proclaimed  the  damnation  of  all  who 
received  only  under  one  species. 

Setting  aside  the  impossibility  of  reserving  the 
Holy  Eucharist  under  the  species  of  wine  in  cer- 
tain seasons,  the  danger  of  desecration,  the 
difficulty  of  a  wine  supply  and  the  sanitary  con- 
siderations now  broached  where  the  dual  Com- 
munion is  in  vogue,  the  Church  has  always  taught 


356  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

that  Christ  is  whole  and  entire  under  each  species 
of  bread  and  wine  and,  therefore,  Communion  is 
complete  with  either. 

Were  there  any  exceptions  to  this  rule  for- 
bidding Communion  under  the  Form  of 
Wine? 

The  kings  of  France  at  their  coronation  and 
death  received  under  both  species,  also  the  deacon 
and  sub-deacon  of  a  Papal  High  Mass,  the  monks 
at  Cluny,  and  the  deacon  and  sub-deacon  in  the 
monastery  of  St.  Denis  on  special  days. 

What  is  the  proper  material  of  the  Modern 
Chalice  according  to  present  Church  require- 
ments? 

The  general  law  of  the  rubrics  requires,  that, 
at  least,  the  cup  of  the  chalice  be  solid  gold  or 
silver,  and  if  the  latter,  then  its  interior  where  it 
comes  in  contact  with  the  Sacred  Species  should  be 
gold  gilt,  or  inaurated.  Whilst  it  is  desirable 
that  the  entire  chalice  be  of  the  same  material, 
there  is  no  impropriety,  nor  is  permission  re- 
quired for  the  use  of  a  chalice  whose  stem  and 
base  are  of  a  decent,  solid  and  suitable,  though 
inferior  quality. 

What  are  the  exceptions  to  the  above  custom? 

For  reasons,  the  Church  allows  the  use  of 
chalices  made  of: 

(a)  Stannum   (not  tin,  but  an  alloy  of  silver 


The  Chalice  and  Paten  357 

and  lead)    because  impervious  to  rust,  providing 
the  interior  of  their  cups  be  gold-gilt. 

(b)  White  metal,  with  cups  ungilt  inside, 
(decree  of  June  6,  1847,)  at  the  prayer  of  the  mis- 
sionaries in  the  East  Indies,  China  and  adjacent 
kingdoms. 

(c)  Aluminum,  combined  with  other  metals 
(decree  of  December  6,  1866)  provided  the  cups 
outside  be  silver-gilt,  or  electroplated,  and  inside, 
gold-gilt.  This  decree  is  omitted  from  the  recent 
collection  published  in  1900,  and  so  its  sanction 
vanishes.  In  1866  the  Congregation  of  Rites  for- 
bade the  consecration  of  all  chalices  not  conform- 
ing to  approved  regulations. 

What  are  the  Reasons  jor  These  Excep- 
tions'? 

Poverty,  necessity,  as  in  an  era  of  persecution, 
and  a  difficulty  of  procuring  the  more  precious 
metals.  With  their  disappearance,  chalices  of  the 
approved  metals  must  be  used. 

Poverty  Compelling,  is  a  formal  Permission 
required  for  the  Use  of  a  Stannum  (Silver  and 
Lead)  Chalice? 

Gasparri  answers  in  the  negative. 

Hoiv  are  Chalices  divided  as  to  their  Shape? 

Into  three  classes:  Gothic,  Roman  and  Renais- 
sance. 


358 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


ROMAN    CHALICE 


RENAISSANCE   CHALICE 


GOTHIC   CHALICE 


The  Gothic  chalice  has  a  cup  fashioned  in  form 
like  a  tulip,  and  sometimes  oval  like  the  larger 
half  of  an  egg.  Its  handle  is  longer  than  in  the 
Roman  chalice,  with  sharp  corners  which  are  also 
introduced  into  the  moulding  of  the  knob  and 
foot,  having  ordinarily  six  and  eight  sides. 

The  Roman  chalice  is  constructed  on  perfectly 
circular  lines  in  the  shape  of  cup  and  foot,  whilst 
the  handle  generally  consists  of  a  short  stem 
whose  centre  forms  a  round  knob. 

The  Renaissance  chalice  is  a  more  or  less  grace- 
ful blending  of  the  Gothic  and  Roman.  These 
three  forms  of  chalices  are  permissible. 

The  most  practical  chalice  is  that  in  which  the 
cup  gradually  widens  towards  the  lip,  without 
ending  in  an  abrupt  edge.  This  is  the  defect  of  the 
Gothic  chalice  of  medieval  pattern,  and  the  large 


The  Chalice  and  Paten  359 

surface  over  which  the  contents  are  distributed 
when  brought  towards  the  rim,  as  the  chalice  is 
turned,  exposes  to  great  danger  of  spilling.  Like- 
wise, if  the  cup  be  narrow,  as  in  many  Roman 
chalices,  it  will  be  found  that  some  drops  of  the 
ablutions  still  remain  at  the  bottom  which  have 
not  been  touched  or  absorbed  by  the  purificator. 
The  knob  should  be  smooth  and  round  and  not  too 
large,  as  the  celebrant  must  hold  the  chalice  at  the 
Elevation  and  Communion  between  the  index  and 
middle  fingers,  and  the  sharp  corners  of  the  Gothic 
patterns  give  pain  when  the  chalice  has  to  be 
lifted  in  that  position.  Safety  also  demands  that 
the  foot  of  the  chalice  be  broad  and  heavy  to  pre- 
clude the  danger  of  overturning.  Although  not 
required  by  the  rubrics,  it  is  desirable  to  have  a 
cross  engraved  or  set  upon  the  foot  of  the  chalice 
to  align  the  side  at  which  the  Sacred  Species  is 
consumed  by  the  celebrant,  in  order  that  the 
ablutions  may  be  taken  from  the  same  part. 

Family  coats-of-arms  and  inscriptions  of  a  per- 
sonal character  cannot  be  placed  on  the  outer 
surface  of  chalices,  but  may  be  engraved  at  the 
bottom. 

Hoiv  many  parts  are  there  to  a  Chalice? 
The  rubrics  refer  to  three  parts:  cup  (cuppa); 
the  handle  (nodus);  and  the  foot  {pes). 

What  formerly  in  general  and  now  with  limi- 
tations are  the  accompaniments  oj  the  Chalice? 


360  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

The  fistula  (reed,  tube)  and  the  cochlear 
(spoon).  The  first  was  a  small  tube  or  hollow 
reed  of  gold,  silver,  glass  or  ivory  through  which 
the  Precious  Blood  was  communicated  to  the 
people  from  the  large  ministerial  chalice.  When 
that  custom  disappeared,  it  entered  the  sanctuary 
and  began  to  be  used  by  the  assisting  bishop  and 
the  sacred  ministers.  St.  Paul's,  London,  had  in 
1295,  two  reeds  of  silver-gilt.  Bishop  Leofric  of 
Exeter  donated  a  "silfren  pipe"  to  its  cathedral, 
and  as  late  as  1200  the  cathedral  of  Pavia  had 
reeds  of  glass.  Within  a  recent  date  the  silver 
tube  was  used  in  the  monastery  of  Cluny  and  St. 
Denis,  Paris,  on  Sundays  and  Holydays  by  the 
celebrant  and  his  assistants.  It  is  said  the  custom 
still  continues  by  special  Papal  indult  in  the 
monastery  of  St.  Denis,  near  Paris,  among  the 
Benedictines  of  St.  Maur.  With  this  exception,  the 
practice  has  entirely  vanished,  except  further  in 
a  solemn  Mass  offered  by  the  Pope,  when  he 
receives  the  contents  of  the  chalice  through  a 
reed  of  gold.  His  deacon  receives  in  the  same 
manner,  but  the  sub- deacon  directly  from  the 
chalice.  In  some  instances,  these  reeds  were 
attached  to  the  chalice,  and  for  purifying  them  a 
long  golden  needle  was  employed  after  they  had 
first  been  rinsed  with  wine  and  water. 

The  second  instrument  is  a  small  gold  or  silver 
spoon  to  measure  the  water  taken  from  the  cruet 
and  mixed  with  the  wine  at  the  Offertory  of  the 


The  Chalice  and  Paten  361 

Mass.  Its  purpose  is  the  avoidance  of  an  excessive 
admixture  of  water.  Its  use  is  legitimate,  though 
not  obligatory.    It  is  very  commonly  seen  in  Spain. 

The  holy  fan  (Sacrum  Flabellum)  was  in 
use  until  the  sixteenth  century,  made  of  gold,  sil- 
ver, parchment  and  ostrich  feathers,  furnished 
with  a  long  ivory  handle.  It  was  one  of  the 
sacred  instruments  entrusted  to  a  deacon  at  his 
ordination.  It  was  the  duty  of  one  or  two 
deacons  to  stand  at  one  or  both  sides  of  the  cele- 
brant, and  by  the  waving  of  this  fan,  from  the 
Offertory  to  the  end  of  Communion,  drive  away 
flies  and  other  troublesome  insects  from  the  priest 
and  the  sacred  oblation.  It  is  yet  a  sacred 
auxiliary  in  the  Mass  of  the  Eastern  Church. 

The  strainer  (colum)  was  shaped  like  a  large 
spoon,  made  of  silver  and  perforated  with  a  great 
number  of  small  holes  through  which  the  wine 
was  poured  into  the  chalice  and  thus  filtered  from 
all  impurities. 

The  comb  (pecten)  was  another  liturgical  im- 
plement made  of  gold,  silver  and  ivory  and  used 
for  the  purpose  of  keeping  the  celebrant's  hair  in 
order  during  the  service.  The  bishop's  hair  was 
arranged  by  the  deacon  and  sub-deacon  when  he 
donned  his  sandals.  When  the  celebrant  arose 
and  doffed  his  cap  the  assistant  combed  his  hair. 
It  is  still  in  evidence  in  the  Eastern  Church  where 
the  priests  wear  a  full  beard  after  the  manner  of 
the  patriarchs. 


362  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

Must  Chalices  be  Consecrated  before  use  in 
the  Mass? 

From  time  immemorial,  the  custom  prevailed 
that  chalices  must  be  consecrated  with  appropriate 
prayer  and  unction  before  their  use  in  the  Mass  is 
lawful. 

Will  not  a  bona  fide  Consecration  of  the  Wine 
in  an  Unblest  and  Unannointed  Chalice  Conse- 
crate it? 

An  unconsecrated  chalice  used  even  knowingly 
by  the  Pope  at  his  Mass  is  ipso  facto  consecrated. 
Chalices  are  frequently  given  the  Papal  sacristan 
to  be  blest  in  this  way. 

In  every  other  instance,  a  Mass  said  with  an 
unblest  chalice  does  not  bless  it,  nor  supersede 
its  formal  consecration,  although  the  efficacy  of 
the  Papal  Mass  under  similar  circumstances  has 
led  many  liturgists  astray  as  if  the  Mass  were 
always  all-sufficient. 

The  Sacred  Congregation  has,  however,  often 
decided  that  a  chalice  consecrated  by  a  person 
unlawfully  delegated  should  not  be  reconsecrated 
if  Mass  with  it  has  followed  after.  If  the  error  is 
discovered  before  the  Mass  its  reconsecration  is 
indispensable,  unless  grave  reasons  stand  in  the 
way,  such  as  scandal  for  those  who  witnessed  the 
first  consecration,  etc. 

If  a  bishop  or  one  having  the  faculty  of  conse- 
crating within  the  limits  of  a  diocese  or  congre- 


The  Chalice  and  Paten  363 

gation  exceed  those  limits,  the  consecration, 
though  the  act  was  illicit,  is  valid  and  not  to  be 
repeated. 

Who  has  the  power  oj  Consecrating  a  Chalice? 

(a)  Bishops  in  their  own  dioceses  and  other 
bishops  at  their  request. 

(b)  Abbots  in  and  for  their  own  monasteries 
only  by  special  Papal  permission. 

(c)  Priests  only  by  indult  of  the  Holy  See. 
The  privilege  of  wearing  Episcopal  insignia  does 

not  include  a  faculty  of  consecrating  the  chalice. 
Bishops  may  share  with  priests  the  faculty  of 
blessing  the  sacred  vessels  which  need  no  unction, 
but  the  annointed  and  chrismed  vessels  belong 
exclusively  to  them. 

How  does  a  Chalice  lose  its  Consecration? 

(a)  When  the  slightest  break  appears  in  the 
cup  near  the  bottom.  It  is  otherwise  if  the 
fracture  is  trivial  and  near  the  upper  edge,  per- 
mitting the  contents  to  be  consecrated  without 
spilling. 

(b)  When  a  very  noticeable  break  appears  in 
any  part,  making  it  unbecoming  to  use  it. 

(c)  When  the  cup  is  wrenched  from  the  stem, 
making  the  intervention  of  a  worker  in  metals 
necessary  for  their  juncture. 

(d)  If  the  different  parts  are  held  together  by 
a  rod  and  nut  under  the  base,  the  breakage  of 


364  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

this  rod,  or  its  detaching  from  the  cup  would 
make  a  reconsecration  of  the  chalice,  perhaps, 
necessary. 

(e)  When  it  is  regilt.  A  chalice  does  not  lose 
its  consecration  by  the  wearing  of  the  gilt,  for 
the  reason  that  the  entire  chalice  is  consecrated. 
It  is  however  unfitted  for  its  special  use  of  conse- 
crating in  it,  since  the  rubric  requires  that  it  be 
gilt  on  the  inside.  After  being  regilt,  the  celebra- 
tion of  Mass  with  this  chalice  will  not  supplant 
the  need  of  its  special  consecration. 

(/)  When  it  is  employed  by  heretics  for  any 
profane  use,  e.  g.,  for  a  drinking  cup  at  table. 

The  custom  of  desecrating  a  chalice  or  other 
vessel  by  a  blow  from  the  hand,  or  some  instru- 
ment before  giving  it  to  an  electro-plater  for 
regilding  is  positively  forbidden.  (Decree  of  S. 
C.  R.  April  23,  1822.) 

Who  may  Touch  the  Chalice? 

Ordinarily,  and  apart  from  special  necessity,  the 
chalice,  if  consecrated,  may  not  be  handled  by  any 
but  clerics  in  major  or  minor  orders. 

In  some  localities  even  minor  orders  will  not 
confer  the  privilege.  If  it  contains  the  Precious 
Blood,  it  cannot  be  touched  under  pain  of  mortal 
sin  by  any  person,  even  with  a  cloth  or  gloves, 
except  priests  and  deacons.  The  Sacred  Congre- 
gation of  Rites  permits  the  sub-deacon  to  carry 
the  chalice,  though  not  purified,  from  the  altar  to 


The  Chalice  and  Paten 


365 


the  credence  table  at  the  first  and  second  Mass  of 
Christmas. 

Permission  for  lay  persons  to  touch  the  sacred 
vessels  must  be  obtained  from  the  bishop,  which 
faculty  is  usually  granted  through  pastors  and 
religious  communities. 

The  custom  in  vogue  in  some  places  of  allowing 
the  people  to  kiss  the  consecrated 
paten  is  an  abuse. 

What  is  the  Paten  or  Patin? 

A  small  metal  dish  shaped 
like  a  saucer,  covering  the  chalice, 
on  which  the  bread  to  be  conse- 
crated in  the  Mass  is  placed  at 
the  Offertory,  and  which  shares 
with  the  corporal  the  privilege 
of  carrying  the  Sacred  Host. 

How  is  the  name  derived? 

From  the  Latin  patina  and 
the  French  patene  (a  shallow 
dish).     The  Greeks  call  it  discon  (dish  or  tray). 

Was  the  Paten  used  by  Our  Lord  at  the 
Last  Supper? 

The  New  Testament  is  silent  as  to  its  use  and, 
therefore,  it  is  uncertain.  The  records  prove, 
however,  that  it  was  introduced  into  the  Mass 
service  at  a  very  early  period,  The  primitive 
paten  was  much  larger  than  the  modern. 


CHALICE   AND   PATEN 


366  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

Why  was  the  Paten  larger  in  the  Ancient 
Church? 

Because  it  was  the  substitute  for  our  ciborium 
and  had  to  carry  the  very  large  Host  or  loaf 
broken  up  into  particles  for  the  Communion  of 
the  people.  The  word  particle  is  still  used,  al- 
though no  longer  broken.  The  Liber  Pontificalis 
mentions  some  that  weighed  twenty-five  or  thirty 
pounds. 

Why  does  the  Sub-deacon  in  a  Solemn  High 
Mass  hold  the  Paten  Elevated? 

Because  of  its  magnitude  it  could  not  remain 
on  the  altar,  and  it  was  not  decorous  to  place  it 
on  the  credence  table  or  in  the  sacristv.  The 
Roman  ritual,  therefore,  consigned  it  to  the  sub- 
deacon  to  hold  aloft  as  a  signal  of  approaching 
Holy  Communion  and  the  need  of  preparation. 
The  Church  follows  the  same  practice  now,  al- 
though by  no  means  warranted  by  the  abridged 
size  of  the  Paten.  This  ceremony  is  wanting  in 
a  requiem  Mass  because  until  very  lately  Com- 
munion was  not  given,  and,  therefore,  the  large 
Paten  was  not  used. 

Why  is  the  Paten  enveloped  in  the  Veil  when 
so  Elevated? 

Because  the  Old  Law  forbade  Levites  to  touch 
the  sacred  vessels  or  bear  them  about  uncovered. 


The  Chalice  and  Paten  367 

What  is  the  material  of  the  Paten? 

The  same  as  that  of  the  cup  of  the  chalice, 
with  exactly  the  same  requirements  as  to  gilding 
and  consecration  by  the  bishop. 

How  does  the  Paten  lose  its  Consecration? 

(a)  When  it  is  so  broken  that  it  becomes  unlit 
for  use,  e.  g.  if  the  break  be  so  large  that  the 
particles  could  fall  through  it. 

(6)  When  it  is  so  battered  that  it  would  be  un- 
becoming to  use  it. 

(c)  When  it  is  re-gilt. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


CIBORIUM,   PYX,   OSTENSORIUM,   LUNULA, 
CUSTODIA. 

What  is  the  Ciborium? 

The  sacred  vessel,  chalice- 
shaped,  only  wider  and  shal- 
lower in  the  cup,  in  which 
the  smaller  Hosts  are  re- 
served and  placed  in  the 
Tabernacle  for  the  sick  and 
the  ordinary  communicants. 

Hoiv  is  its  name  derived? 

From  the  Latin  cibus  (food ) 
and  therefore  signifying  a 
receptacle  for  food — the  food 
of  Angels. 

Was  the  name  otherwise 
applied? 

The  canopy  over  the  High 
Altar  was  also  called  a  ciborium,  and  before  the 
introduction  of  the  Tabernacle  a  chain  was  sus- 
pended from  its  ceiling  to  which  was  attached  a 
gold  or  silver  hollow  dove  or  other  receptacle 
for  the  reservation  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament. 

What  is  the  Material  of  the  Ciborium? 


CIBORIUM 


Ciborium,  Pyx,  Ostensorium,  Etc.     369 


The  Roman  ritual  merely  prescribed  that  it  be 
"both  solid  and  becoming."  Copper  even  may 
enter  into  its  composition.  If  made  of  any 
material  other  than  gold  the  inside  of  its  cup 
must  be  gilt.  It  cannot  be  made  of  wood,  glass  or 
ivory. 

What  are  the  Accompaniments  of  a  Cibor- 
ium? 

A  cover,  tight-fitting  and  surmounted  by  a 
cross,  and  a  veil  of  precious  texture,  embroidered 
in  gold  and  silver,  and  white  in  color. 

When  is  this  Veil  used? 

It  envelopes  the  Cib- 
orium only  when  the 
Blessed  Sacrament  is 
actually  reserved  in  it. 
At  all  other  times  its 
use  is  improper.  Hence 
after  purification  at 
Mass,  or  when  filled 
with  new  particles  and 
placed  on  the  altar,  it 
must  be  without  its  veil. 
Even  from  the  Consecra- 
tion to  the  Communion 
it  remains  uncovered. 
It  is  placed  over  it  just  before  depositing  it  in  the 
Tabernacle  after  Communion. 


CIBORIUM    VEIL 


370 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


In  places  where  the  holy  Communion  is  carried 
solemnly  to  the  sick  a  smaller  ciborium  of  the 
same  style  is  used. 

Whilst  actually  containing  the  Sacred  Host,  the 
ciborium  must  be  kept  in  the  Tabernacle  under 
lock  and  key,  and  only  removed  to  give  Commun- 
ion, or  to  purify  and  replenish,  or  renew  at  fixed 

times. 

Is  a  Ciborium  Consecrated? 

It  is  not  consecrated,  but  only  blessed  by  the 
bishop  or  priest  having  the  requisite  faculties 
according  to  the  formula  for  the  blessing  of  a 
Tabernacle.  It  may  lose  its  blessing  like  the 
chalice. 


What  is  the  Pyx? 

A  small  box,  in  shape  and  size 
like  a  watch-case,  in  which  the 
Blessed  Sacrament  is  carried  to 
the  sick.  When  so  employed,  it 
is  enclosed  in  a  silken  purse,  to 
which  a  cord  is  attached  to  throw 
about  the  neck. 


PYX 


How  is  the  name  derived? 
From  the  Greek  and  Latin  pyxis  (box),  the 
name  also  given  to  a  compass-box. 


What  is  its  material? 


Ciborium,  Pyx,  Ostensorium,  Etc.      371 


It  may  be  of  the  same  material  as  the  ciborium, 
gilt  in  its  interior,  with  a  slight  elevation  in  the 
centre. 

Must  it  be  Blessed? 

It  is  to  be  blessed  with  the  formula  for  the 
blessing  of  a  Tabernacle.  It  may  forfeit  its  bless- 
ing in  the  same  manner  as  the  chalice  and 
ciborium. 

What  is  the  Osten- 
sorium? 

It  is  the  large  sacred 
vessel  in  which  the  Blessed 
Sacrament  is  exposed  at 
Benediction  and  borne  in 
solemn  procession  on  cer- 
tain occasions.  It  has  a 
stem  akin  to  a  chalice,  and 
in  its  centre  an  aperture 
in  which  the  Lunula  with 
the  Blessed  Sacrament  is 
placed. 

By  what  other  names 
is  it  known? 

It  is  also  known  as  the  Portable  Tabernacle, 
Ciborium,  Melchisedech,  in  Belgium,  Monstrance 
and  improperly  Remonstrance. 

How  is  the  name  derived? 

From  the  Latin  monstro  (to  show,  exhibit). 


OSTENSORIUM 


372 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


What  is  its  origin? 

It  originated  with  the  institution  of  the  feast 
of  Corpus  Christi,  (Pope  Urban  IV,  1264). 

What  is  the  shape  of  the  Ostensorium? 

The  conventional  form,  in  many  varieties,  is 
that  of  a  disc  with  encompassing  sunbeams,  set 
upon  a  pedestal  with  surmounting  cross,  which  is 
of  obligation,  and  the  hollow  centre  for  the 
Lunula.  In  the  beginning,  the  Monstrance  was 
fashioned  after  the  little  towers  which  were  the 
Tabernacles  of  the  primitive  church. 

In  some  of  the  churches  of  the  Cistercian  Order 
in  France,  the  Ostensorium  takes  the  form  of  a 
small  statue  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  so  constructed 
that  the  Sacred  Host  may  be  placed  in  its  hand 
during  Exposition. 

What  is  the  Lu- 
nula or  Lunette? 

It  is  the  small 
glass  and  metal  en- 
closure, circular  in 
form,  to  carry  and 
present  the  Sacred 
Host  erect  in  the 
central  opening  of 
the  Ostensorium. 


LUNETTE 


WJiat  is  the  derivative  of  its  name? 
From  the  Latin  luna  (moon). 


Ciborium,  Pyx,  Ostensorium,  Etc.     373 

Relative    to    its    Structure,    what  has   the 
Church  determined? 

February  4,  1871,  the  following  query  was  sent 
to  the  Sacred  Congregation  of  Rites:  "In  expos- 
ing the  Blessed  Sacrament  in  the  ostensorium  is 
it  permissible  to  use  a  lunette  enclosed  with  circu 
lar  glass  sides,  front  and  back,  held  in  place  by  a 
silver  circular  band  gilded  on  the  inside,  so  that 
the  Host  is  in  actual  contact  with  the  double  glass 
surface."  By  a  decree  in  response  to  that  query 
and  a  subsequent  one  of  September  4,  1880,  the 
Sacred  Congregation  replied  that  it  is  not  becom- 
ing to  so  enclose  the  Host.  Notwithstanding  this 
prohibition  the  irregular  lunette  is  still  very 
generally  manufactured  and  used.  The  legitimate 
lunette  demands  a  metal  back,  gilt  on  the  inside. 

What  is  the  Custodia? 

It  is  a  round,  shallow  vessel  with  close-fitting 
cover  in  which  the 
lunette  reposes  whilst 
carrying  the  Sacred 
Host.  It  is  required 
only  when,  without  it, 
the  Sacred  Host  would 
lie  uncovered  in  the 
tabernacle.  Some- 
times ostensoria  are 
constructed  on  such  a 
large,  weighty  plan  that  the  upper  part  is  movable 
and    readily    separated     from    the    cumbersome 


CL'STODIA 


374  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

pedestal.  When  this  large  and  rare  lunette  con- 
taining the  Host  is  placed  in  the  Tabernacle,  the 
Custodia  may  be  dispensed  with. 

How  is  the  name  derived? 
From  the  Latin  custos  and  custodia  (a  guard 
and  guardianship). 

What  is  the  material  of  the  Ostensorium, 
Lunula  and  Custodia? 

The  material  is  not  prescribed.  Since,  however, 
they  are  destined  for  a  function  akin  to  the 
Ciborium  their  material  should  be  both  "solid  and 
becoming." 

The  Sacred  Congregation  permits  the  Osten- 
sorium and  Lunette  to  be  made  of  copper  (cuprum). 

All  these  sacred  vessels  may  be  blessed  jointly 
or  singly  by  the  formula  for  the  blessing  of  a 
Tabernacle. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

THE  RESERVATION  OF  THE  SACRED  HOST. 

In  the  Ancient  Church  how  was  the  Blessed 
Sacrament  reserved? 

The  usual  repository  was  a  golden  dove  sus- 
pended from  the  canopy  of  the  altar.  This 
custom  explains  the  title,  "Domus  Columbae" 
(House  of  the  dove)  applied  to  the  Church  by  the 
early  Fathers.  Verona  and  the  British  Isles  used 
ivory  receptacles  of  costly  workmanship.  A  small 
tower  was  also  in  vogue,  and  in  Rome  as  recent 
as  1370,  in  the  pontificate  of  Gregory  XI,  little 
baskets  of  delicate  wicker-work  in  allusion  to  the 
miraculous  multiplication  of  the  loaves  by  our 
Divine  Lord  served  as  tabernacles.  In  the  early 
medieval  period  a  light,  kept  burning  night  and 
day,  before  the  tabernacle  was  of  obligation. 

How  is  the  Blessed  Sacrament  reserved  now? 

In  a  ciborium  placed  in  a  tabernacle  and  covered 
with  a  silken  veil.  Here  it  is  kept  for  the  Com- 
munion of  the  people  at  Mass  and  to  go  on  its 
errand  as  the  Holy  Viaticum  for  the  dying.  A 
sanctuary  lamp  fed  with  pure  olive  oil  furnishes 
the  required  undying  light  in  honor  of  the  Blessed 
Sacrament,  and  to  warn  the  people  that  the  Real 
Presence  is  in  the  tabernacle.  Of  so  weighty  an 
obligation  is  this  of  a  steadily  burning  light,  that 


376  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

St.  Alphonsus  does  not  excuse  from  a  mortal  sin 
the  caretaker  of  a  lamp  who  knowingly  allows  it 
to  remain  quenched  one  whole  day,  or  two  nights 
in  succession. 

What  has  the  Church  decreed  regarding 
the  Sanctuary  Lamp? 

(a)  It  must  be,  not  behind  or  upon  the  altar, 
but  before  it,  or  at  its  side.  ( Decree  of  August 
22,  1699) .  On  the  table  of  the  altar  and  adjacent 
to  it  only  wax  candles  may  be  burned.  ( Decree  of 
May  31, 1831) . 

(6)  The  lamp  may  be  suspended  from  a  bracket 
on  the  side,  or  by  a  chain  in  front  of  the  altar. 

(c)  Colored  or  diaphanous  lamps  in  green,  red 
or  anv  other  shade  are  permitted.  (Decree  of 
June  2,  1883). 

(d)  It  may  be  covered  with  a  shade.  (Decree 
of  September  16,  1865). 

(e)  The  Ceremonial  of  bishops  requires  many 
lamps  to  burn  before  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  which 
refers  to  some  solemn  feast  or  is  only  advisory 
and  not  mandatory. 

What  quality  of  Oil  is  to  be  used  in  the 
Sanctuary  Lamp? 

Although  the  Roman  ritual  does  not  prescribe 
the  kind  of  oil,  a  continuous  custom  and  the  decrees 
of  the  Sacred  Congregation  enjoin  that  gener- 
ally and  ordinarily  olive  oil  alone  may  be  used. 
These  qualifying  adverbs  are  employed  because  it 


Reservation  of  the  Sacred  Host      377 

is  given  to  the  discretion  of  a  bishop  in  his  diocese, 
on  account  of  the  poverty  of  a  church  to  allow 
other  oils,  with  a  preference  for  vegetable  oils. 
(Decree  of  July  9,  1864). 

When  it  was  subsequently  asked  whether  this 
decree  allowed  the  use  of  kerosene  for  lighting 
altar  and  church,  ignoring  the  question  of  poverty 
and  Episcopal  consent,  the  Sacred  Congregation 
replied  (March  20,  1869):  "Neither  kerosene 
nor  any  other  kind  of  vegetable  oil  can  be  used, 
except  as  necessity  and  the  prudence  of  the 
bishop  justify  it." 

How  is  the  Blessed  Sacrament  reserved 
among  the  Orientals? 

The  Greek  Church  uses  a  little  satchel  placed  in 
what  is  called  the  Artophorion  (bread-bearing) 
with  a  constantly  burning  light  before  it.  Unless 
in  very  extreme  illness  the  sick  must  be  conveyed 
to  the  church  for  Communion. 

The  Abyssinians  keep  the  Sacred  Host  in  the 
Tabou  or  Ark. 

The  schismatic  Copts  never  reserve  the  Blessed 
Eucharist.  They  argue  that  the  chosen  people 
instead  of  reserving  any  portion  of  the  Paschal 
lamb  from  day  to  day  were  obliged  to  consume  it 
entire  at  one  meal.  They  also  fear  the  fanaticism 
of  the  Mahometans.  If  a  Coptic  priest  is  sum- 
moned to  the  dying,  he  will  say  Mass  at  any  hour  of 
day  or  night,  not  fasting,  to  provide  the  Viaticum. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

THE   CORPORAL,   PALL,   AND   PURIFICATOR. 

What  is  the  Corporal? 

A  square  piece  of  linen  of  the  varying  dimen- 
sions of  a  kerchief,  to  be  placed  in  the  middle  of 
the  altar  table  to  receive  the  chalice  and  paten, 
and  if  necessary,  the  ciborium,  because  on  it  the 
bread  and  wine  are  Consecrated  and  placed. 

What  is  its  Significancy? 

It  typifies  the  winding  sheet  in  which  the  Body 
of  Christ  was  prepared  for  the  tomb,  as  the 
chalice  the  sepulchre,  and  the  paten  the  stone 
rolled  against  its  door. 

What  is  its  Derivation'? 

From  the  Latin  corpus  (a  body). 

What  are  the  Characteristics  of  the  Corporal? 

It  must  be  made  of  flax  or  hemp,  unembroidered, 
with  lace  on  edges  if  so  desired,  and  a  cross 
worked  into  it  about  an  inch  from  front  edge. 
No  cross  is  allowed  in  its  centre.  As  cross  and 
lace  are  unnecessary  and  may  be  a  hindrance 
when  collecting  the  fragments,  they  had  better  be 
omitted.  It  must  be  clean  and  whole.  It  is  for- 
bidden to  use  a  torn  or  ripped   corporal.     When 


Corporal,  Pall  and  Purificator      379 

washed,  bleached,  mended  and  ironed  it  is  folded 
into  three  equal  parts  in  length  and  width.  It  is 
better  to  prepare  it  without  starch.  Only  those 
permitted  to  touch  the  chalice  may  handle  a 
corporal  used  in  the  Mass. 

Must  the  Corporal  be  Blessed? 

It  must,  either  by  a  bishop  or  priest  having  the 
adequate  faculty,  before  it  is  used.  If  it  is  em- 
ployed in  the  Mass  by  mistake  or  otherwise  before 
its  blessing  it  must  not  be  considered  blessed.  It  is 
not  blessed  again  after  it  is  washed.  It  has  its 
own  special  formula  for  blessing.  It  forfeits  its 
blessing  when  no  part  of  it  is  sufficiently  large  for 
the  Host  and  chalice  together.  To  celebrate  Mass 
without  a  corporal  would  involve  a  grievous  sin, 
unless  excused  by  an  unusual  necessity,  like  the 
providing  of  Mass  for  the  people  on  a  Holyday  of 
obligation  and  the  Viaticum  for  the  dying. 

What  of  its  Ancient  Use  and  Form1? 

It  was  an  altar  linen — a  fourth  altar  cloth — in 
the  early  Church,  when  it  was  extensive  enough 
to  cover  the  entire  table  of  the  altar,  and  required 
the  presence  of  two  deacons  to  fold  it  after  the 
service. 

When  is  it  placed  on  the  Altar"? 

In  a  low  Mass  and  a  chanted  Mass,  at  the  begin- 
ning. In  a  solemn  high  Mass  the  ancient  discipline 
of  spreading  it  before  the  Offertory  is  followed. 


380 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


PALL 


What  is  it  called  by  the  Greeks? 

Eileton — (something  rolled  up),  in  allusion  to 
the  winding  sheet  in  which  the  body  of  Christ  was 
enshrouded  for  the  tomb. 

What  is  the  Pall? 

A  small  square  of  linen 
or  hemp  to  cover  the 
chalice. 

Hoiv  is  it  made? 

Usually  with  two  pieces 
of  linen,  between  which 
card  board  is  inserted  for 
the  sake  of  stiffening  it. 
The  upper  side  may  be  ornamented  with  em- 
broidery or  painting  in  various  colors,  or  covered 
with  cloth  of  gold,  silver  or  silk  of  any  color, 
except  black.  Death  emblems  are  also  proscribed. 
The  lower  side  must  be  of  plain  linen  or  hemp.  It 
must  be  kept  scrupulously  clean.  The  Roman 
pall  is  usually  small — only  large  enough  to  cover 
the  chalice.  The  palls  in  use  here  are  large 
enough  to  cover  the  paten. 

Is  there  not  some  Ambiguity  regarding  the 
Ornamentation  of  the  Pall? 

The  question  was  asked  if  a  pall  with  a  silk 
cloth  upper  side  could  be  used,  and  the  Sacred 
Congregation  replied  in  the  negative.  (Decree  of 
January  22,  1701 ).     The  same  query  was  sent  to 


Corporal,  Pall  and  Purificator      381 

the  Congregation  in  recent  years  and  answered  in 
the  affirmative.  (Decree  of  January  10,  1852, 
and  July  17,  1894). 

Is  the  Pall  oj  Ancient  use? 

It  is  in  use  only  since  the  eleventh  century. 

What  was  its  Archetype? 

The  large  corporal  which  covered  the  entire  altar 
and  which  was  wide  enough  to  be  drawn  over  the 
Host  and  chalice,  a  form  of  pall  now  only  the 
privilege  of  the  Carthusians. 

Is  its  Blessing  Mandatory? 
It  must  be  blessed  by  the  formula  for  the  bless- 
ing of  corporals  to  which  it  is  kindred. 

What  ivas  (/ranted  by  Paul  IV  to  the  Thea- 
tines  relative  to  the  Pall? 

He  permitted  the  use  of  a  double  pall — one  for 
the  chalice  and  another  for  the  Host,  which  has 
divided  theologians  on  the  question  whether  the 
same  custom  might  not  be  extended  to  other 
churches,  without  Apostolic  permission. 

What  is  the  Purificator? 

A  piece  of  pure  white  linen  or  hemp,  from  six- 
teen to  twenty  inches,  long  and  from  nine  to  ten 
inches  wide,  the  purpose  of  which  is  to  wipe  the 
chalice  and  the  lips  and  fingers  of  the  celebrant. 
A  small  cross  mav  be  worked  in  it  at  its  centre  to 


382  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

distinguish  it  from  the  little  finger  towel  used  at 
the  Lavabo,  which  is  not  of  obligation,  although 
St.  Charles  Borromeo  so  ordered  by  statute. 

By  what  other  name  is  it  known? 
It  is  also  called  a  Mundatory. 

Is  it  of  ancient  usage? 

It  is  of  comparatively  modern  introduction. 
When  it  became  a  chalice  linen  is  uncertain.  As 
matter  of  record,  we  know  that  no  mention  is 
made  of  it  prior  to  the  thirteenth  century. 

Is  it  Blessed? 

It  is  not  blessed.    ( Decree  of  September  7, 1816). 

What  discipline  regulates  its  use? 

Each  priest  must  have  his  own  purificator,  and 
it  should  be  changed  once  a  week  or  even  oftener 
if  it  becomes  soiled  or  stained.  When  laid  aside 
for  washing  it  should  be  placed  only  with  soiled 
chalice  linens. 

Who  is  allowed  to  touch  these  Chalice  Linens? 

After  their  use  in  the  Mass  only  priests, 
deacons  and  sub-deacons  are  allowed  to  touch 
them.  They  alone  are  allowed  to  give  them 
their  first  washing.  To  the  inquiry  whether 
Nuns  could,  with  the  permission  of  the  bishop, 
be  substituted  for  those  in  Sacred  Orders  in 
the  performance  of  this  duty,  the  Congregation 


Corporal,  Pall  and  Purificator      383 

replied  in  the  negative.  (Decree  of  September 
12,  1857).  Before  use,  however,  and  after  wash- 
ing, there  is  no  restraint  in  the  matter  of  hand- 
ling them. 

Do  the  Greeks  use  a  Purificator? 

The  Greeks  discard  the  purificator,  and  instead 
use  a  sponge,  because  one  of  the  instruments  of 
the  bloody  sacrifice  of  the  Cross. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

BURSE,  VEIL,  ETC. 


What  is  the  Burse? 

The  Burse  or  purse  is  a 
receptacle  for  the  corporal 
and  pall  when  not  in  use  in 
the  Mass.  It  should  be 
of  the  same  material  and 
color  as  the  accompanying 
vestments. 


Bl'RSE 


What  is  the  Veil? 

The  veil  is  the  small  square  which  covers  the 
chalice.  In  color  and  material  it  should  conform 
to  the  vestments. 

What  is  the  Fin- 
ger Towel? 

The  small  linen 
towel  with  which  the 
celebrant  dries  his  fin- 
gers at  the  Lavabo. 


are 


the 


What 
Cruets? 

Cruets,  a  diminu- 
tive from  old  French 
"cruye"  (pitcher)  and 


CRUETS 


Burse,  Veil,  Etc.  385 

Dutch  Krink  (cup)  are  the  small  vessels  con- 
taining the  wine  and  water  and  requisite  for  the 
Holy  Sacrifice.  They  have  been  made  of  precious 
material,  opaque,  but  their  special  utility  and  to 
avoid  serious  blunders  would  recommend  a  trans- 
parent material  like  glass. 

Why  is  the  small  Bell  Rung  in  the  Mass? 

It  is  rung  at  special  parts  of  the  Mass — the 
beginning  of  the  Canon,  Elevation  and  Commun- 
ion— to  give  the  people  warning  and  awaken  their 
attention. 


pose? 


What  do  the  Rubrics  demand  for  this  pur- 
se? 
Only  a  small  bell. 

What  are  the  appointed  times  for  its  ringing? 
Only  twice — at  the  Sanctus  and  Elevation. 

Is  it  wrong  to  ring  it  oftener? 

The  Sacred  Congregation  of  Rites  (Decree  of 
May  14,  1856)  decided  that  a  more  frequent 
sounding  of  the  bell  may  be  tolerated. 

Why  are  bells  silent  in  Holy  Week? 

Bells  are  stilled  from  the  "Gloria"  in  the  Mass 
of  Holy  Thursday  until  the  "Gloria"  on  Holy 
Saturday  according  to  Benedict  XIV,  because 
bells  typify  the  preachers  of  the  word  of  God  and 
all  preaching  was  silenced  during  the  trial  and 
passion  of  Our  Lord. 


386  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

Is  the  use  of  the  gong  legitimate? 

The  archbishop  of  Mexico  asked  whether  an 
Oriental  symbol  "adrnodum  catini  semi-pen- 
dentis  ab  hasta  lignea"  (like  a  dish  hanging  on 
a  wooden  staff)  and  struck  by  an  acolyte  could  be 
used  as  a  substitute  for  a  bell.  The  reply  was  a 
negative.  (Decree  of  September  10,  1898). 
Vander  Stappen  applies  this  prohibition  to  the 
gong  because  of  the  similarity  of  construction  and 
manner  of  sounding.  As,  however,  there  has 
been  no  specific  proscription  of  it  and  it  is  in  very 
general  use,  any  opinion  of  its  impropriety  is  as 
yet  premature  and  unwarranted. 

What  is  the  Osculatory? 

The  instrument  whereby  the  Kiss  of  Peace  is 
given — from  osculum  (Kiss).  In  the  beginning, 
assemblages  of  Christians  were  divided  like  the 
synagogue  by  the  sex  line.  There  was  no 
promiscuous  gathering  as  now.  Even  then  it  was 
the  custom  in  solemn  services  for  the  sub-deacon 
to  convey  the  Kiss  of  Peace  to  men  and  women 
alike  to  be  imparted  afterward  by  man  to  man  and 
woman  to  woman.  This  practice  continued  until 
the  thirteenth  century,  when  a  new  form  of 
salutation  was  introduced  by  the  Osculatory, 
which  was  a  metal  figure  of  Christ  or  a  Pieta  on 
a  metal  ground  with  a  handle  at  the  back.  The 
celebrant  kissed  the  Osculatorium  which  was 
kissed  in  turn  by  the  attendants   and   faithful. 


Burse,  Veil,  Etc.  387 

The  whole  ceremony  of  the  Pax  is  merely  a  sug- 
gestion of  that  brotherly  love  and  charity  which 
ought  to  bind  Christians.  As  in  primitive  times 
it  was  reserved  for  those  approaching  Communion, 
and  Communion  was  not  given  at  requiem 
Masses,  the  Pax  is  excluded  from  Masses  of 
requiem  even  now  when  the  custom  of  giving 
Communion  prevails.  The  Osculatory  is  rarely 
seen  at  present. 

What  is  the  Thurible? 

Thurible  or  Censer  is  the  vessel  in  which  incense 
is  burned  at  solemn  High  Mass,  Ves- 
pers, Benediction  and  in  the  services 
for  the  dead.  In  many  ancient 
churches  Thuribles  were  suspended 
from  the  roof  and  allowed  to  burn 
incense  throughout  the  service.  At 
Santiago,  Spain,  a  colossal  silver  censer 
is  tied  by  a  long  rope  to  a  ring  at  the 
intersection  of  nave  and  transept  and 
smoked  by  swinging,  whilst  on  special 
feasts  a  procession  moves  through  the 
church. 

What  is  the  Symbolism  of  Incense? 

When  offered  to  a  person  it  expresses  homage 
and  respect.  The  Magi  gave  a  gift  of  incense  to 
the  Divine  Infant.  Our  dead  are  blessed  with  in- 
cense because  the  Sacraments  they  have  received 
have  made  them  temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 


388  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

When  employed  by  the  Church  it  signifies:- 

(a)  The  fire  of  holy  charity  that  should  con- 
sume us. 

(b)  The  good  odor  of  Christ  that  is  diffused  in 
our  hearts. 

(c)  The  practice  of  prayer,  "Let  my  prayer,  0 
Lord  be  directed  like  incense  in  thy  sight." 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

THE   CRUCIFIX. 

What  is  the  Rule  determined  by  the  Rubrics 
regarding  the  Crucifix? 

The  Ceremonial  of  bishops  prescribes  that  it 
must  be  a  crucifix  and  not  a  cross,  placed  between 
the  candlesticks  on  the  altar  and  of  the  same 
metal  as  the  candelabra.  This  latter  regulation 
of  material  is  not  to  be  rigorously  interpreted,  and 
any  other  material,  even  wood  is  legitimate. 

What  is  the  Nature  of  this  Mandate  requir- 
ing a  Crucifix? 

It  is  preceptive  and  of  obligation.  Therefore, 
it  is  not  lawful  to  say  Mass  without  a  crucifix. 

Are  there  any  exceptions  to  this  rule? 

The  crucifix  may  be  omitted  if: 

(a)  The  Altar  has  in  the  place  of  the  crucifix 
a  statue  of  the  Crucified,  or  a  painting  of  the 
same  which  is  prominent  and  distinct,  and  not 
merely  subsidiary  and  an  inconspicuous  accessory 
to  another  subject,  as  for  instance  a  representa- 
tion of  St.  Francis  of  Assisi,  or  any  other  saint. 
Neither  is  a  picture  or  statue  of  the  Sacred 
Heart,  or  the  Infant  Jesus,  or  the  Redeemer 
manifesting  His  sacred  wounds  an  adequate  sub- 
stitution for  the  crucifix. 


390  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

( b )  When  Mass  is  celebrated  on  an  altar  where 
the  most  Blessed  Sacrament  is  exposed,  each 
church  and  diocese  may  follow  its  own  custom 
and  retain  the  crucifix  if  the  use  is  such,  or  dis- 
card it  according  to  an  opposite  custom.  The 
instruction  of  the  Congregation  of  Rites  merely 
enjoins  adherence  to  the  prevailing  practice. 

What  is  the  Rule  with  reference  to  the  Size 
and  Prominence  of  the  Crucifix? 

It  must  be  large  enough  to  be  conspicuous  and 
visible  to  the  priest  and  the  faithful  assisting  at 
Mass. 

It  must  be  so  elevated  that  it  will  appear  above 
the  head  of  the  celebrant,  and  facilitate  the 
observance  of  the  rubric  which  obliges  him  to  lift 
his  eyes  to  the  Crucified  in  divers  parts  of  the 
Mass. 

This  regulation  inhibits  the  use  of  a  diminutive 
crucifix. 

Where  must  the  Crucifix  be  Placed' 

When  the  rubric  appoints  the  altar  table,  mid- 
way between  the  candlesticks  as  its  proper  place, 
it  has  in  contemplation  the  altars  of  the  Roman 
Basilicas,  table-shaped,  devoid  of  the  Tabernacle, 
and  so  located  that  the  celebrant  faces  the  people. 
It  also  applies  to  an  altar  without  a  Tabernacle, 
where  Mass  is  said  in  the  usual  way,  but  which 
has  a  step  running  across  its  entire  length  on 
which  the   candelabra   are   placed   and   between 


The  Crucifix  391 

them  the  crucifix.  Another  construction  was 
that  of  an  altar  with  a  Tabernacle  of  limited  size 
placed  on  the  altar  and  table.  The  position  of  the 
crucifix  then  is  behind  the  Tabernacle  and  high 
enough  to  overtop  it. 

Since  the  seventeenth  century,  the  spacious, 
elaborate,  called  the  renaissance  Tabernacles  have 
come  into  vogue  occupying  the  primitive  place  of 
the  crucifix.  These  Tabernacles  have  an  open 
space  above  them,  covered  by  a  canopy  of  Roman 
or  Gothic  fashion,  in  which  the  Ostensorium  is 
placed  for  the  exposition  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament 
and  is  therefore  called  a  throne.  The  crucifix 
should  be  placed  at  the  summit  of  the  canopy  and 
not  on  the  throne  according  to  a  decree  of 
September  11,  1847.  Gasparri  (vol.  II,  p.  100) 
admits  that  the  common  practice  is  at  variance 
with  it,  and  says  such  a  usage  may  be  tolerated 
if  it  is  the  only  available  place  for  the  Crucifix. 
A  later  decree,  of  June  2, 1883,  instructs  as  a  way 
of  observing  it  literally,  that  the  throne  be  mov- 
,able  and,  therefore,  distinct  from  the  Tabernacle 
over  which  the  permanent  canopy  on  stationary 
pillars  is  erected. 

What  is  the  History  of  the  Crucifix  as  a 
Religious  Syrn bol ? 

The  crucifix  never  appears  in  early  christian 
art.  The  subject  was  not  represented  until  the 
fifth  century.  The  earliest  reference  in  literature 
to  a  picture  of  the  Crucifixion  is  in  the  middle  of 


392  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

the  sixth  century,  and  until  the  end  of  the  same 
century  there  is  no  mention  of  a  carved  image  of 
it,  when  St.  Gregory  of  Tours  refers  to  a  crucifix 
in  a  church  at  Narbonne,  which  gave  offense  on 
account  of  its  nakedness.  In  the  Middle  Ages  it 
became  a  popular  and  all-prevailing  representa- 
tion. It  assumed  four  types:  Altar  Crucifix 
that  stood  at  the  altar,  or  at  entrance  to  the  choir; 
Road  Crucifix  at  the  crossroads  or  shrines;  Sta- 
tion Crucifix  at  terminus  of  Way  of  the  Cross, 
and  Processional  Crucifix,  usually  smaller  and  of 
metal,  carried  in  procession. 

Strange  to  say,  the  earliest  representation  of  a 
crucifix  is  that  known  as  the  "blasphemous  cruci- 
fix." In  excavations  on  the  Palatine  (Rome)  it 
was  found  rudely  and  crudely  scratched  on  the 
wall  of  the  pages'  quarters  attached  to  one  of  the 
imperial  palaces.  A  figure  with  the  body  of  a 
man  and  the  head  of  an  ass  is  hanging  on  a  cross. 
In  front  of  it  in  an  attitude  of  adoration  is  a 
slave,  and  the  inscription  in  Greek  uncials  reads: 
"Alexamenos  adores  (his)  God." 

The  picture  belongs  to  the  end  of  the  second 
century  and  explains  two  facts — the  popular  con- 
ception of  Christianity  by  the  average  Roman, 
and  the  derision  invited  by  the  christians  if  they 
made  a  public  use  of  the  crucifix. 

What  is  the  History  of  the  Cross  as  a  Relig- 
ious Symbol? 

In  practice,  the  sign  of  the  cross  filled  a  large 


The  Crucifix 


393 


share  of  the  mind  and  life  of  the  early  Church.  In 
art,  an  undisguised  representation  of  it  in  the  first 
centuries  is  rarely  found.  De  Rossi  could  point  to 
only  one  instance  before  Constantine,  and  for  a 
century  later  it  shunned  publicity.  The  reason 
was  found  in  a  desire  to  avoid  furnishing  fuel  to 
Pagan  bias,  especially  since  the  cross  was  then  in 
common  use,  like  the  gallows  for  the  punishment 
of  felons. 

There  are  six  types  of  crosses:  Latin,  when 
the  transverse  beam  cuts  the  upright  shaft  near 
the  top;  Greek,  when  two  equal  beams  cut  each 
other  in  the  middle;  St.  Andrew's,  like  the  Greek 
cross;  Egyptian  or  tau-shaped;  Maltese,  worn  by 
the  Knights  of  Malta,  formed  by  four  equilateral 
triangles  whose  apices  meet  in  one  point;  Russian, 
having  two  transverse  beams  at  the  top  and  one 
near  the  foot,  slightly  inclined 
to  favor  a  tradition  that  in  the 
Crucifixion  one  foot  was  lifted 
a  little  higher  than  the  other. 

A  cross  with  two  transoms  at 
the  top,  one  longer  than  the 
other,  represented  the  board  of 
the  inscription  and  the  cross-bar 
on  which  the  head  rested.  The 
cross  with  three  transoms  called 
Papal  is  the  fiction  of  painters. 
Indeed,  so  reliable  an  authority  processional  cross 
as  Father  Thurston,  S.  J.,  re-         archiep.scopal 


394  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

cords  that  these  double  and  triple-barred  crosses 
have  for  the  most  part  only  a  heraldic  existence. 
Crosses  that  represent  the  arms  of  the  Lord  as 
only  partly  extended  are  called  Jansenistic, 
because  Cornelius  Jansens  of  Belgium  taught  the 
false  doctrme  that  Christ  died  only  for  the  good 
and  not  for  all. 

Give  summary  of  the  approved  uses  of  the 
Altar  Crucifix? 

(1)  A  cross  with  figure  (crucifix)  must  be 
placed  at  the  middle  of  every  altar,  on  which 
Mass  is  celebrated  (Rubr.  Gen.  Miss.  Tit.  XX.) 
Except  in  cases  of  positive  necessity  Mass  may  not 
be  celebrated  without  it.  (DeHerdt,  vol.  I,  n.  181,  II). 

(2)  Its  proper  place  is  between  the  candlesticks 
and  in  a  straight  line  with  them  {Caer.  Episc. 
Lib.  I,  cap.  XII,  n.  11).  To  obtain  this  position  it 
may  be  placed  upon  the  tabernacle  unless  a  canopy 
is  permanently  erected  over  the  tabernacle,  which 
serves  as  a  throne  for  the  exposition  of  the  Blessed 
Sacrament.     (S.  R.  C.  June  11,  1904). 

(3)  It  should  be  sufficiently  high  and  large  to 
be  seen  by  the  celebrant  and  the  people  (S.  R.  C. 
September  17,  1822)  and  its  pedestal  should  be  on 
a  level  with  the  top  of  the  candlesticks.  (Caer. 
Episc.  Lib.  I,  cap.  XII,  n.  11).  The  small  crucifix 
found  sometimes  on  the  summit  of  small  wooden 
tabernacles  or  attached  to  the  door  of  some  taber- 
nacle cannot  take  the  place  of  the  altar  cross.  (S. 
R.  C,  June  16,  1663). 


The  Crucifix  395 

( 4 )  The  crucifix  may  be  made  of  any  substance, 
but  it  is  fitting  that  it  be  of  the  same  material  as 
the  candlesticks.  (Caer.  Episc.  Lib.  I,  cap.  XII, 
n.  11). 

(5)  If  the  altar-piece  contains  a  picture  of 
Christ  crucified,  or  if  there  is  on  the  altar  a  large 
statuary  group  representing  the  Crucifixion,  it  is 
not  necessary  to  place  a  crucifix  on  the  altar  (S. 
R.  C.  June  16,  1663).  But  in  this  case  the  cross 
with  the  image  must  be  the  central  or  principal  sub- 
ject of  the  picture.  A  picture,  for  example,  rep- 
resenting St.  Francis  Xavier,  with  a  large  crucifix 
in  his  hands,  whilst  preaching  to  the  pagans, 
would  not  answer  the  purpose. 

(6)  Although  the  size  of  the  altar  cross  is  not 
determined  by  a  decree  of  the  S.  Congregation, 
yet  the  instructions  given  to  the  visitors  of  the 
churches  in  Rome  decide  that  its  perpendicular 
bar  cannot  be  less  than  16  inches  and  the  horizon- 
tal bar  less  than  8  inches.  {Acta  S.  Sedis,  Vol. 
XXXVIII,  p.  179). 

(7)  If  it  be  necessary  to  remove  this  large 
cross,  another  of  smaller  dimensions  must  be 
put  in  its  place  during  Mass;  the  latter,  however, 
must  be  large  enough  and  be  placed  in  such  a 
position  that  it  may  be  seen  by  the  celebrant  and 
the  people.     (S.  R.  C.  September  17,  1822). 

(8)  The  regular  altar  cross  cannot  be  covered 
with  a  cloth  to  protect  it  from  dust,  damp,  etc., 


396  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

and  one  of  smaller  dimensions  used  in  its  stead 
during  Mass.     (S.  R.  C.  September  12,  1857). 

( 9 )  It  cannot  be  placed  on  the  throne  or  on  the 
corporal  on  which  the  Blessed  Sacrament  is  ex- 
posed, at  least  not  on  the  exact  spot  on  which  the 
ostensorium  is  placed.  (S.  R.  C.  June  2,  1883). 
It  may  be  placed  on  the  throne  a  short  distance 
in  front  of  or  behind  the  spot  on  which  the  osten- 
sorium usually  stands  during  public  Exposition. 

(10)  The  cross  may  be  placed  on  the  altar 
during  Mass  celebrated  before  the  Blessed  Sacra- 
ment exposed.  It  is,  however,  not  of  obligation, 
but  the  custom  that  prevails  in  each  church  is  to 
be  followed.     (S.  R.  C.  September  2,  1741). 

(11)  It  must  be  covered  with  a  violet  cloth 
from  the  first  vespers  of  Passion  Sunday  to  Good 
Friday,  and  cannot  be  uncovered  during  that 
period,  however  great  the  feast  or  solemnity 
may  be  that  is  being  celebrated.  {S.R.  C.  Novem- 
ber 16,  1649). 

(12)  On  Holy  Thursday  the  cross  on  the  altar, 
at  which  the  Mass  of  the  Presanctified  (only)  is 
celebrated,  is  covered  with  a  white  cloth  (Memor- 
iale  Rituum,  Tit.  I,  cap.  I,  n.  2),  and  on  Good 
Friday  with  a  violet  (not  a  black)  cloth.  (S.  R. 
C.  December  30,  1881). 

(13)  At  any  function,  all,  except  prelates, 
canons  and  the  celebrant,  make  a  simple  genuflec- 
tion to  the  cross  of  the  altar,  even  if  the  Blessed 


The  Crucifix  397 

Sacrament  is  not  reserved  in  the  tabernacle  of 
such  altar.  (S.  R.  C.  August  30,  1892).  But 
from  the  adoration  of  the  cross  on  Good  Friday  to 
the  hour  of  noon  on  Holy  Saturday,  all,  even  pre- 
lates, canons  and  the  celebrant,  must  genuflect  to 
the  cross.  (S.  R.  C.  May  9,  1857;  September  12, 
1857). 

( 14)  If  the  Blessed  Sacrament  is  exposed  and 
a  cross,  according  to  the  custom  of  the  place,  is 
placed  on  the  altar,  the  cross  is  not  incensed  dur- 
ing the  incensation  of  the  altar.  (S.  R.  C. 
November  29,  1738). 

(15)  The  rubrics  do  not  prescribe  that  the  cross 
be  specially  blessed  (S.  R.  C.  July  12,  1704), 
although  this  may  be  done  privately  by  any  priest 
(Ibidem),  who  in  this  case  uses  the  form  of  bless- 
ing pro  Imaginibus,  found  in  the  Roman  ritual 
(Tit.  VIII,  cap.  25),  and  not  the  one  pro  Nova 
Cruce,  which  is  used  only  when  blessing  a  cross 
to  which  the  image  of  Christ  is  not  attached. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

THE   MISSAL   AND   MISSAL   STAND. 
ALTAR   CARDS. 


What  is  the  Missal? 

The  Mass  book  in  which  are  contained  the 
Masses  to  be  said  through  the  circle  of  the  year. 

What  is  the  Language  of  the  Roman  Missal? 
It  is  printed  in  Latin,  in  red  and  black  letters. 

What  is  the  Import  of  these  Colors? 

The  black  letters  constitute  the  text  of  the 
Missal,  and  the  red  its  Rubrics  or  directions  in 
performing  the  various  actions  of  the  Mass. 

How  is  the  term  "Rubric"  derived? 

From  the  Latin  rubrum  (red).  The  ancient 
Romans  used  red  chalk  in  writing  the  titles  of 
books  and  statutes,  and  in  process  of  time  the 
name  was  given  the  inscriptions. 

Why  are  Ribbons  and  Page-Tips  used? 

The  five  ribbons  corresponding  in  color  to  the 
vestment  shades  are  used  as  book-marks  to  locate 
the  Mass  and  its  various  commemorations.  The 
page-tips  of  leather,  silk  or  linen  are  attached  to 
the  leaves  of  the  Canon  of  the  Mass  to  aid  the 


The  Missal  and  Missal  Cards       399 

celebrant  in  turning  them  over.  The  reason  of 
this  is,  between  the  Consecration  and  the  finger 
ablutions  after  Communion,  the  priest's  thumb  and 
index  finger,  having  touched  the  Sacred  Host, 
cannot  come  in  contact  with  aught  else  until  puri- 
fied with  wine  and  water.  They  cannot,  there- 
fore, give  any  help  in  turning  these  tipped  pages. 

When  do  the  Masses  of  the  Missal  begin? 

With  the  first  Sunday  of  Advent,  which  has  no 
fixed  date.  According  to  present  discipline,  it  is 
always  the  Sunday  falling  nearest  to  St.  Andrew's 
day  (November  30)  whether  before  or  after  it. 
In  the  event  of  a  feast  falling  on  this  Sunday  it  is 
transferred  to  another  day  and  the  Sunday  is  the 
first  of  Advent. 

Who  is  the  Author  of  the  First  Missal? 

If  the  data  are  insufficient  to  sustain  the  opinion 
favoring  the  authorship  of  St.  James,  the  Just, 
Apostle  and  first  bishop  of  Jerusalem,  all  are 
agreed  that  the  Liturgy  which  bears  his  name  is 
the  most  ancient  of  all. 

Nigh  to  the  Apostolic  Age,  what  were  the 
Mass  Books? 

There  were  four:  The  Antiphonary,  Evangel- 
ary,  Lectionary  and  Sacramentary.  For  their 
contents  vide  p.  79. 

Describe  the  Inconvenience  of  these  Four 
Books? 


400  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

In  celebrating,  particularly  a  low  Mass,  it  was 
most  inconvenient  and  harassing  for  the  priest  to 
be  obliged  to  turn  from  one  to  the  other  of  these 
four  volumes  to  find  the  special  prayer  and  lesson 
appropriate  to  the  Mass.  This  led  to  the  consoli- 
dation of  the  four  into  one  book  called  a  Plenary 
Missal. 

Was  not  the  Single  or  Plenary  Missal  the 
Creation  oj  the  Council  of  Trent? 

Although  Plenary  Missals  were  long  in  vogue 
before  the  Council  of  Trent  (1545-1563)  their 
origin  is  generally  ascribed  to  it,  because  Trent 
corrected  many  errors  and  interpolations  and 
remodelled  and  rearranged  them. 

Did  the  Council  oj  Trent  give  Us  a  New 
Missal? 

By  no  means.  Substantially,  our  modern  Missal 
is  identical  with  the  Sacramentary  of  Pope  Gregory 
the  Great  (790). 

What  Popes  First  Issued  the  Missal? 

Pius  IV  began  the  task,  and  Pius  V  completed 
it  in  1570,  by  producing  a  new  Missal  and  pro- 
mulgating a  decree  enjoining  its  acceptance  on  all. 
This  is  the  Mass-book  we  use  now.  Between 
1570  and  1574  seven  editions  were  issued  of 
which  few  copies  are  extant — one  of  the  first 
edition,  four  of  the  second,  one  of  the  third,  none 
of  the  fourth,  fifth  and  sixth,  and  only  one  of  the 
seventh  edition  exist  now. 


The  Missal  and  Missal  Stand        401 

In  addition  to  the  Missal  what  else  did  Pius 
V  make  Obligatory? 

The  psalm,  "Judica  me  Deus,"  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  Mass,  when  permitted  by  the  rubrics, 
and  the  Gospel  of  St.  John  at  the  end.  Before 
his  time  they  were  optional. 

What  Missal  Must  be  Used  in  the  Celebra- 
tion of  Mass? 

The  Missal  which  is  proper  to  the  church  or 
oratory  where  the  Mass  is  offered. 

What  is  always  the  Standard  or  Norma  oj 
such  Missals? 

The  Roman  Missal  issued  by  Pope  Pius  V. 

Are  there  then  Varieties  in  Missals? 

The  Mass-books  of  the  Eastern  Church  are 
quite  distinct  from  those  of  the  Western  Church, 
and  even  in  the  Roman  Church  there  are  many 
differences. 

Explain  how  these  Diversities  are  caused? 

(a)  Special  churches,  nations,  provinces  and 
dioceses  have  their  own  local  saints  and  patrons 
who  are  honored  by  a  Mass.  These  saints  are 
not  found  in  the  Calendar  of  the  Universal  Church 
and  their  place  in  the  Missal  is  in  a  supplement  to 
be  honored  only  locally.  The  same  applies  to 
Feasts  of  obligation,  for  Holydays  are  not  uniform 
throughout  the  whole  Church. 

(b)  The  Religious  Orders  have  their  own  saints 


402  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

— associates  who  were  carried  to  the  heights  of 
heroic  virtue  by  observance  of  their  respective 
rules.     These  are  found  in  an  appendix. 

(c )  One  Religious  Order,  the  Franciscan,  enjoys 
the  peculiar  privilege  of  carrying  their  saints,  not  in 
an  appendix,  but  in  the  body  of  the  Roman  Missal 
where  they  are  close  neighbors  of  the  saints  of 
the  Universal  Church.  Hence  their  Missal  is 
known  as  the  Roman-Seraphic. 

(d)  When  the  Pope  in  1570  edited  the  Missal, 
he  decreed  that  all  other  existing  Missals  in  the 
Western  Church  must  be  retired,  except  those 
which  had  been  in  continuous  use,  at  least,  two 
hundred  years  prior  to  that  date.  This  concession 
insures  to  the  Dominicans  and  others  not  only  a 
special  Missal,  but  also  a  special  rite  and  formula 
in  the  celebration  of  Mass. 

To  whom  was  reserved  the  Right  to  Say 
these  Special  Masses? 

Only  those  to  whom  the  privilege  was  given  by 
Papal  indult,  whilst  all  others  in  these  favored 
localities  and  monasteries  had  to  conform  to  the 
ordinary  Roman  Missal.  With  the  progressivelv 
increasing  number  of  these  local  Masses,  and  the 
presence  of  many  visiting  priests,  made  possible 
by  the  desire  and  facilities  of  travel,  this  exclusive 
regulation  created  confusion  and  a  temptation  to 
transgress  it. 

How  was  this  Difficulty  Obviated? 


The  Missal  and  Missal  Stand       403 


By  a  decree  of  July  9,  1895,  the  Sacred  Congre- 
gation of  Rites  extended  the  privilege  of  saying 
the  Mass  proper  to  the  place  to  all  visiting  Secu- 
lars and  Regulars  officiating  in  a  church  or  public 
oratory,  whether  such  Mass  was  found  in  the 
Roman  Missal,  or  only  in  that  of  the  Regulars, 
always,  however,  prescinding  from  such  privilege 
the  right  to  follow  the  specialized  rite  of  these 
Orders. 

What  else  is  to  be  Observed  Regarding  the 
Missal? 

(a)  The  ribbon  markers  should  be  arranged  in 
their  proper  sequence. 

( b)  It  is  becoming  that  it  be  gilt-edged. 

(c)  The  Ceremonial  of  Bishops  and  Liturgists 
refer  to  a  silk  covering  for  it  corresponding  in 
color  with  the  vestments.  This  recommendation 
is,  however,  generally  neglected  because  of  the 
ornamental  binding  now  in  vogue. 

What  is  the  Missal  Stand? 

The  support  for  the  Missal  on  the  altar.  The 
rubrics  of  the  Mis- 
sal prescribe  a  cush- 
ion of  silk  of  the 
same  color  as  the 
vestments  instead 
of  the  conventional 
Missal  stand,  which, 
nevertheless,  is  its 
legitimate     substi- 


MISSAL   STAND 


404 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


tute.  This  missal-stand  is  to  be  covered  with  a 
veil  of  the  vestment  color,  unless  it  be  gilded  or 
carved  wood. 

What  other  Liturgical  Books  are  used  in  tlie 
Celebration  of  Mass? 

(a)  An  excerpt  of  the  Roman  Missal  for  the 
requiem  Masses,  and  since  1895  the  prayers  for 
the  various  Absolutions. 

( b )  The  book  of  Gospels  and  Epistles  for  the 
deacon  and  sub-deacon  in  solemn  High  Masses. 

(c)  The  Canon  containing  the  Order  and  Canon 
of  the  Mass  according  to  the  Roman  Missal  for 
the  convenience  of  bishops  and  prelates  enjoy- 
ing the  privilege  of  pontificating — for  bishops  at 
low  and  high  Mass,  and  prelates  only  when 
solemnly  officiating. 

What  are  Altar  Cards? 


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■     ; 

mm 

i 

fcS.S.f?|feg  :£ 

i     ■         :■' 

;■--" "|"  3-S ."■ '-  \ 

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-------    f '     = 

ALTAR    CARDS 


The  Missal  and  Missal  Stand        405 

The  rubrics  of  the  Mass  prescribe  only  one 
altar  card  called  a  Tabella  and  Charta-Glorise  to 
be  placed  at  the  foot  of  the  Crucifix,  or  at  the 
middle  of  the  altar- table,  or  before  the  Tabernacle, 
which  contains  the  prayers  to  be  recited  silently, 
with  exception  of  the  Gloria  and  Credo. 

Later,  the  two  lesser  cards — one  at  the  Epistle 
side  of  the  altar  for  the  prayers  at  the  pouring  of 
the  wine  and  water  into  the  chalice  and  the  psalm 
Lavabo — the  other  at  the  Gospel  side  containing 
the  Gospel  of  St.  John  were  introduced.  These 
cards  are  permitted  on  the  altar  only  during  the 
offering  of  Mass,  and  when  a  bishop  officiates 
their  place  is  usurped  by  the  Episcopal  Canon. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

CANDLES. 

Why  are  Lighted  Candles  used  on  the  Altai''? 

The  liturgical  lights  on  an  altar  are  never  used 
merely  to  repel  darkness,  nor  as  a  mere  reminis- 
cence of  the  time  when  Mass  was  celebrated  in  the 
catacombs.  Their  use  is  determined  by  their 
symbolical  significancy  and  tradition,  or  historical 
consistency. 

What  are  the  Elements  of  this  Symbolic 
suggestiveness? 

(1)  Because  light  represents  Christ  who  is  "the 
true  light  which  enlighteneth  every  man  coming 
into  this  world." 

(2 )  To  show  forth  the  reverence  and  splendor 
which  inhere  in  the  Sacred  Mysteries. 

(3)  To  awaken  faith,  devotion  and  zeal  for 
good  works  whereby  we  become  exemplars  of 
light  to  our  neighbors. 

What  is  the  Verdict  oj  Tradition  regarding 
these  Lights? 

In  the  Old  Law  it  was  the  ordinance  of  God 
that  fire  should  permanently  burn  on  the  altar 
and  that  the  priest  should  feed  it.     This  divine 


Candles  407 

command  fixed  the  norma  for  the  early  Christians, 
and  the  use  of  lights  on  or  about  the  altar  is 
believed  to  be  of  Apostolic  origin. 

What  is  the  attitude  of  the  Church  regard- 
ing the  Material  of  these  Altar  Candles? 

The  legislation  of  the  Church  in  this  matter 
may  seem  to  be  of  excessive  stringency.  By 
repeated  decrees  the  quality  and  number  of  such 
candles  have  been  fixed  unalterably.  The  material 
must  be  wax.  To  reiterated  petitions  for  the 
substitution  of  artificial  material  and  vegetable 
fats,  sperm,  tallow,  stearin,  paraffine  and  a  mix- 
ture of  sperm  or  stearin  with  beeswax  Rome 
has  uniformly  returned  an  emphatic  negative, 
until  the  decree  of  December,  1904.  Bleached 
wax  candles  are  the  proper  material  at  ordinary 
services,  and  for  the  Office  and  Mass  of  the  dead, 
Good  Friday  and  Matins  of  Tenebrae  custom  has 
legitimized  the  unbleached  wax  candle. 

What  is  the  Purport  of  the  Decree  of  Decem- 
ber, 190^? 

It  prescribes  that  the  Paschal  candle  and  the 
two  candles  lighted  at  Mass  must  be  for  the  most 
part  of  pure  beeswax,  and  that  all  other  candles 
placed  on  the  altar  should  contain  this  substance 
in  more  or  less  notable  quantity.  The  bishops  of 
Ireland  have  officially  interpreted  this  decree  as 
signifying  that  the  Paschal  candle  and  the  two 
Mass  candles  should  contain  at  least  65  per  cent 


408  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

beeswax  and  all  the  other  candles  at  least  25  per 
cent. 

To  safeguard  the  peace  of  conscience  and  secure 
pious  and  troubled  souls  against  scrupulosity  the 
Sacred  Congregation  annexed  this  observation  to 
its  regulations:  "In  which  matter  parish  priests 
and  other  rectors  of  churches  and  oratories  can 
safely  stand  .by  the  standards  fixed  by  their 
respective  bishops,  whilst  others  about  to  celebrate 
Mass  need  not  inquire  too  anxiously  about  the 
quality  of  the  candles."  Primarily  then  it  be- 
hooves the  bishop  to  regulate  the  sort  of  candle 
to  be  used  on  the  altar,  and  for  those  in  charge  of 
churches  and  public  oratories  to  execute  such 
regulation,  while  other  priests  having  no  responsi- 
bility need  not  trouble  their  conscience  about  the 
candles  unless  a  very  gross  and  palpable  abuse 
come  under  their  notice. 

Will  Poverty,  or  the  High  Price  oj  Wax,  or 
Custom  Warrant  another  kind  oj  Candle? 

No. 

Has  the  Church  permitted  any  Exceptions  to 
the  above  Requirements? 

Exceptions  were  made  for  Oceania  (decree  of 
September  7,  1850)  and  the  Polar  regions  (decree 
of  February  6,  1858). 

What  was  the  Reason  of  the  Exceptions? 
The  impossibility  of  procuring  either  beeswax 


Candles  409 

or  olive  oil  in   these   countries.     The   exception 
ceases  when  either  wax  or  oil  is  obtainable. 

Why  does  the  Church  insist  on  Beeswax? 

On  account  of  its  symbolical  meaning.  The 
pure  beeswax  of  the  candle  burning  on  the  altar 
is  a  figure  of  the  untainted  Humanity  of  Christ. 
It  is  the  product  of  the  bee  which  harvests  the 
nectar  and  pollen  from  the  flower.  This  particular 
bee  which  gathers  the  honey  and  secretes  the  wax 
is  virginal  and  an  appropriate  figure  of  the  Virgin 
Mother.  Hence,  the  mystics  regarded  the  wax  as 
the  Sacred  Body  of  Our  Lord;  the  wick  encom- 
passed by  the  wax,  His  soul,  and  the  flame,  His 
Divinity,  or  the  fire  of  Divine  love. 

Is  it  ever  Permissible  to  use  Gas,  or  Electric- 
ity, or  Oil,  or  Candles  of  another  substance? 

For  mere  illumination,  or  display  to  enhance 
solemnity,  these  may  be  used,  but  never  in  the 
place  to  which  the  liturgic  lights  are  entitled,  and 
always  subsidiary  to  these  lights. 

A  decree  of  November  22,  1907,  decides: 

(1)  That  electric  lights  cannot  be  used  on  the 
altar,  even  when  the  prescribed  wax  candles  are 
placed  upon  it. 

(2)  That  electric  lights  cannot  be  used  instead 
of  the  candles  or  lamps  which  are  prescribed  to 
burn  before  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  sacred  relics 
and  images  or  statues  of  the  saints. 


410  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

(3)  That  it  is  left  to  the  prudent  judgment  of 
the  Ordinary  to  decide  concerning  the  use  of 
electric  lights  in  other  places  in  the  church. 

How  many  Candles  mast  be  Lighted  on  the 
Altar  at  Mass? 

For  a  low  Mass,  a  bishop  may  have  four  and  a 
priest  at  least  two,  unless  privileged  by  the  Holy 
See  to  use  more.  An  exception  is  made  for  low 
Masses  at  marriages,  first  Communions,  funerals, 
the  community  Mass  of  Religious  on  Sundays  and 
Holydays,  and  in  churches  where  for  reasons  the 
last  or  parochial  Mass  is  low. 

For  a  solemn  Pontifical  Mass  when  the  bishop 
officiates  in  his  own  diocese,  seven.  This  seventh 
candle  is  set  up  high  behind  the  crucifix.  It  dis- 
appears, however,  at  requiems  and  Pontifical  ves- 
pers. Its  appositeness  recalls  the  vision  of  St.  John 
in  the  Apocalypse  (Chap.  I,  vv.  12-13).  "I  saw 
seven  golden  candlesticks,  one  like  unto  the  Son  of 
Man,  clothed  with  a  garment  down  to  the  foot  and 
girt  about  the  paps  with  a  golden  girdle."  Like 
another  Christ  should  be  the  bishop  in  his  diocese. 

In  ordinary  high  Masses  on  Sundays  and  feasts 
of  a  higher  rite,  six  lights  must  be  used.  On 
feasts  of  double  and  semi-double  rite,  during 
octaves,  ferials  of  Advent,  Lent,  Ember  days  and 
vigils,  four  suffice.  On  other  ferials  and  simples, 
two.  In  high  Masses  of  requiem  at  least  four 
candles  are  required. 


Candles  411 

At  vespers  the  number  is  not  prescribed.  Litur- 
gists,  however,  appoint  four  or  six  for  solemn 
vespers,  and  two  for  a  simple  service  as  a  minimum. 

At  Benediction  the  number  is  variable  according 
to  piety  and  the  resources  of  the  church.  Twelve, 
ten  and  six  lights  are  mentioned  in  the  decrees 
applicable  to  poor  churches.  Less  than  six  are 
never  allowed. 

What  other  Lights  are  used? 

Torches  by  the  attendants,  the  large  Paschal 
candle  from  Holy  Saturday  to  the  Ascension,  and 
the  Bugia  or  hand  candlestick  and  the  Sanctuary 
Lamp. 

What  is  to  be  said  of  the  Candle  lighted  at 
the  Elevation  of  the  Host? 

The  rubric  notes  that  in  a  private  Mass,  before  the 
Consecration,  a  special  candle  of  a  rope  or  twisted 
pattern,  on  the  Epistle  side,  is  to  be  lighted  and 
not  extinguished  until  after  the  priest's  Commun- 
ion. Its  purpose  is  to  admonish  the  faithful  of  the 
Real  Presence  of  Christ  on  the  altar  and  to  excite 
them  to  conscious  adoration.  The  custom  is  still 
retained  in  few  churches  and  its  observance  accord- 
ing to  many  theologians  is  not  of  obligation. 

What  is  the  proper  Oil  for  the  Sanctuary 
Lamp? 

Pure  olive  oil,  partly  because  it  was  the  most 
economical  and  abundant  luminant  in  the  cradle 


412  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

and  infancy  of  the  Church,  and  partly  for  its  sym- 
bolic suggestion.  The  olive  branch  is  typical  of 
peace  since  the  days  of  Noah,  and  the  oil  pressed 
from  its  fruit  may  be  regarded  as  a  figure  of 
Christ,  the  Prince  of  Peace.  Owing  to  its  expen- 
siveness  and  scarcity  in  the  Western  Church,  the 
French  bishops  in  1864  petitioned  that  they 
might  be  permitted  to  use  some  other  vegetable 
oil,  not  excluding  even  petroleum  as  a  substitute 
for  olive  oil.  The  favor  was  granted  under  Epis- 
copal supervision.  Colza,  cotton-seed  oil  and  oil  of 
the  poppy  and  flax  plant  are  the  vegetable  pro- 
ducts most  generally  utilized. 

A  decree  of  November  8,  1907,  permits  the  use 
of  a  compound  of  olive  oil  and  beeswax  in  the 
Sanctuary  Lamp. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

BREAD   AND   WINE. 

What  kind  of  Bread  is  Consecrated  in  the 
Mass? 

Bread  made  of  wheaten  flour  and  water,  baked, 
not  stewed,  fried  or  boiled,  and  incorrupt. 

Is  this  Bread  Leavened  or  Unleavened? 

Both  are  valid  material  in  the  Latin  Church. 
The  only  licit  material,  however,  according  to  the 
Latin  rite  is  unleavened  bread,  wheat  flour  and 
water  being  the  only  ingredients. 

Was  Leavened  Bread  ever  used  in  the  Latin 
Church? 

Cardinal  Bona  proves  that  until  the  tenth  cen- 
tury leavened  or  fermented  bread  was  as  commonly 
used  as  unleavened  bread.  In  that  century  the 
unleavened  or  unfermented  bread  became  obliga- 
tory. 

Why  does  the  Latin  Church  use  Unleavened 
Bread? 

Because  according  to  the  Evangelists,  SS.  Mark 
and  Luke,  the  Last  Supper  was  held  on  the  first  day 
of  the  Azymes,  that  is,  on  the  first  of  the  seven 


414  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

Paschal  days  when  only  azyme  or  unfermented 
bread  was  permittted,  and,  therefore,  it  is  intelli- 
gible that  Christ  obeyed  the  law  and  Consecrated 
the  unleavened  bread. 

Does  the  Church  then  Declare  the  Quality  of 
the  Bread? 

The  Church  dogmatically  does  not  define  any 
quality  of  bread.  Simple  bread,  independent  of 
leavening  and  unleavening,  is  the  burden  of  the 
Church's  dogma.  The  quality  is  fixed  by  dis- 
cipline. 

Why  did  the  Latin  Church  introduce  Leaven- 
ed Bread? 

To  confound  the  Ebionite  heretics  and  establish 
the  disenthrallment  of  the  Christian  Church  from 
the  Synagogue.  The  Ebionites  taught  that  the 
New  was  subservient  to  the  Old  Law  and, 
therefore,  the  Eucharist  invalid  unless  unleavened 
bread  was  the  material  used. 

What  is  the  Usage  among  Orientals? 

The  Armenians  and  Maronites  use  unfermented, 
and  the  Greeks,  Melchites,  Chaldeans,  Syrians  and 
Copts  fermented  bread. 

What  is  the  Verdict  of  Rome? 

Rome  says:  "Let  each  Church  observe  its  own 
rite/' 


Bread  and  Wine 


415 


How  are  Altar 
Breads  made? 

They  are  baked 
between  heated 
irons  upon  which  is 
stamped  some  pious 
device,  such  as  the 
Crucifixion,  Lamb 
of  God,  or  a  simple 
Cross. 

What  is  the  form  of  these  Altar  Breads? 
They  are  circular  in  form  and  very  thin. 

What  is  their  size? 

Until   the  eleventh  century  there  was  a  very 
general  custom  of  communicating  the  people  with 


ALTAR    BREAD  BAKING    IRON 


ALTAR    BREADS   FOR    MASS   AND   COMMUNION 

particles  broken  from  the  large  Host  or  loaf 
which  the  priest  Consecrated.  As  a  consequence, 
it  must  have  been  of  much  larger  proportions 


416  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

than  now.  At  present  the  celebrant's  Host  is 
smaller,  although  larger  than  the  Hosts  still  desig- 
nated "particles"  which  the  people  receive. 

What  sort  of  Wine  is  Valid  Jor  the  Altar? 

The  juice  of  the  matured  grape,  ripened  still 
more  by  fermentation,  and  which  has  not  become 
corrupted  and  undrinkable.  This  corresponds 
with  the  genimen  vitis  (the  fruit  of  the  vine)  of 
Our  Lord.     ( Matt.  XXVI,  29) . 

What  is  Invalid? 

Any  liquid  that  is  the  product  of  other  fruits 
or  grains,  like  cider,  beer  or  whiskey.  The  same 
is  true  of  wine  pressed  from  unripe  grapes  and 
wine  converted  into  vinegar.  Should  the  wine 
become  so  putrid  as  to  be  undrinkable  it  would 
be  invalid.  If  the  unripeness  is  slight  and  the 
acidity  trivial  it  may  be  corrected  by  the  addition 
of  a  small  amount  of  sugar. 

What  is  Illicit? 

Wine  in  the  primary  stage  of  corruption  when 
the  sour,  bitter  taste  and  the  musty  scum  are 
evident;  also  "must,"  the  unfermented  juice  of 
the  grape  is  lawful  only  in  a  serious  emergency, 
because  before  the  chemical  change  it  contains 
dregs  unfit  for  Consecration. 

What  is  Licit  Wine? 

Wine  that  is  genuine  and  natural,  the  fermented 
produce  of  the  grape  juice  without  the  addition 


Bread  and  Wine  417 

of  any  substance  that  could  be  regarded  by  the 
standard  of  the  Church  as  deleterious  to  its  native 
qualities  and  limited  in  its  alcoholic  constituent. 

Is  Wine  from  Dried  Grapes  or  Raisins 
Valid? 

These  raisins  are  steeped  in  water  which  they 
absorb.  Then  they  are  crushed  in  the  wine 
press. 

The  Holy  Office  cleverly  answers,  "Yes,  if  in 
color,  taste  and  smell  it  is  true  wine." 

What  of  the  absence  of  fermentation  and  the 
absorption  of  so  much  water? 

Theologians  concur  that  it  is  lawful  material  if 
it  be  the  result  of  fermentation,  and  the  water 
absorbed  does  not  exceed  the  quantity  lost  by 
evaporation.  This  raisin  wine  must  therefore  con- 
tain the  element  of  wine  so  predominantly  that 
the  admixture  of  water  shall  be  comparatively 
small  and  shall  not  affect  the  fluid  as  true  wine. 

What  is  the  average  Alcoholic  strength  of 

Wine? 

About  twelve  per  cent.  The  amount  depends 
on  the  richness  of  the  grape  and  the  sugar  in  the 
must.  Sometimes  there  is  an  arrested  fermenta- 
tion, and  again  the  abundance  of  sugar  in  the 
must  is  not  all  transformed  into  its  equivalent  of 
alcohol.  This  residuum  of  sugar  in  most  wines, 
under  favorable  conditions,  sets  up  a  secondary 


418  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

fermentation  when  transferred  to  wood  or  glass, 
making  them  muddy  and  even  corrupt.  This  is 
very  often  the  condition  of  wines  exported  by 
sea. 

How  is  this  danger  averted? 

(a)  By  the  addition  of  alcohol. 

(b)  By  an  increase  in  the  temperature  of  the 
wine. 

Which  has  received  the  Approval  of  the 
Church? 

Both. 

State  the  jacts  relevant  to  this  decision? 

In  1887  the  bishop  of  Marseilles  asked  the  Holy 
Office  which  of  these  two  preservatives  was  to  be 
preferred.  The  Congregation  replied  that  the 
second  was  to  be  recommended.  Later,  the  same 
prelate  asked,  if: 

(1)  Alcohol  could  be  used  to  strengthen  weak 
wine? 

(2)  If  so,  how  much  and  in  what  quantity  and 
quality? 

The  reply  was  that  alcohol  might  be  used,  pro- 
vided it  was  the  pure  extract  of  the  grape;  that  the 
additional  alcohol  with  what  the  wine  normally 
contained  should  not  exceed  twelve  per  cent  and 
that  the  infusion  must  be  made  while  the  wine 
was  fresh. 


Bread  and  Wine  419 

In  1891  the  archbishop  of  Tarragona  inquired  if 
the  custom  of  adding  ten  per  cent  of  alcohol  to 
the  rich  wines  of  his  country  might  be  followed, 
and  if  the  wines  so  fortified  might  be  used  in  the 
Mass.  The  reply  came  in  an  unqualified  negative 
so  far  as  the  Mass  is  concerned. 

Again,  the  archbishop  complained  to  Rome  that 
the  twelve  per  cent  permitted,  in  response  to  the 
bishop  of  Marseilles,  was  not  sufficient  to  protect 
the  rich  Tarragonian  wines  against  vitiation  when 
exported,  and  as  eighteen  per  cent  was  the  mini- 
mum preservative  he  petitioned  that  his  wine 
merchants  might  be  allowed  to  fortify  up  to  that 
measure.  The  answer  was  favorable,  but  the 
standard  mentioned  in  the  petition  must  not  be 
exceeded;  the  spirits  used  must  be  pure  grape 
extract,  and  the  mixture  made  at  the  turning  point 
of  the  fermentation  when  it  begins  to  defervesce. 
As  a  rule  for  practice,  it  is  conceded  that  the  extra 
percentage  is  allowable  in  all  cases  similar  to  that 
of  Tarragona,  but  that  the  twelve  per  cent  is  not 
to  be  exceeded  except  in  like  necessity. 

What  is  the  Benefit  of  a  High  Temperature 
for  Wine? 

When  raised  to  a  very  high  temperature  the 
germs  of  trouble  after  fermentation  are  disarmed 
or  eliminated.  It  is  said  to  be  the  method  of 
Pasteur  and  the  best  preservative.  To  a  further 
query,  whether  the  must  could  be  similarly  treated 


420  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

the  answer  was  an  approval  so  long  as  the  boiling 
is  not  a  bar  to  fermentation,  arising  in  the  natural 
way.  Other  methods  of  preservation,  like  the 
introduction  of  acids,  etc,  that  injure  or  prejudice 
the  natural  quality  of  the  wine  are  illegitimate. 

What  is  the  Nature  of  the  Obligation  to  mix 
the  Wine  with  Water  in  the  Mass? 

It  is  of  grave  obligation  that  a  little  water, 
never  more  than  the  third  part  of  the  wine  under 
any  circumstances  should  be  poured  into  the 
chalice  for  Consecration.  The  Church  never  dis- 
penses in  this  rubric  which  is  said  to  be  a  vestige 
of  Apostolic  times.  There  are  also  motives  of 
symbolism,  like  the  duality  of  Christ's  nature  and 
the  issuance  of  blood  and  water  from  the  side  of 
the  dying  Saviour  commending  the  practice. 

Theologians  discuss  the  fate  of  these  drops  of 
water  in  the  miracle  of  Consecration.  That  they 
are  transmuted  into  the  Precious  Blood  is  now 
the  accepted  opinion,  whether  immediately  or 
mediately  is  a  point  of  contention  in  the  schools. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

STATIONS. 

What  is  the  meaning  of  Statio  {Station)  as 
found  in  the  Roman  Missal  and  the  Liturgy? 

This  term  is  a  curious  relic  of  the  past.  For 
example,  on  Septuagesima  Sunday  the  "Statio"  is 
at  St.  Lawrence's  church  outside  the  walls;  Sexa- 
gesima,  St.  Paul's;  Quinquagesima,  St.  Peter's,  and 
so  on  through  the  Lent,  every  day  having  its  own 
station. 

It  signifies: 

(a)  A  fast  appointed  by  the  Church  for  fixed 
days,  like  that  of  Wednesdays  and  Fridays,  Ember 
times  and  Lent. 

(b)  A  military  post  or  encampment,  and  hence 
St.  Ambrose:  "Our  stationes  (encampments)  are 
our  fasts  which  defend  us  against  the  devil's 
attacks.  They  are  called  stationes  because 
stantes  (standing)  we  repel  our  enemy." 

(c)  Certain  days  whereon  the  faithful  met  by 
appointment  for  worship  at  previously  desig- 
nated places.  This  was  imperative  in  the  age  of 
persecution,  and  the  place  of  their  assemblage 
was  near  the  tomb  of  some  martyr  in  the 
catacombs.  The  service  was  simple  and  brief. 
In  the  era  of  peace  the  Church  continued  the 


422  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

custom  of  a  more  solemn  service  at  stated  places 
on  Wednesdays  and  Fridays,  vigils,  anniversaries 
of  martyrs  and  during  the  forty  days  of  Lent. 
Later,  the  great  festivals  and  the  whole  interval 
between  Easter  and  Pentecost  were  added. 

Pope  Gregory  the  Great  (590)  established  and 
regulated  all  the  details  of  these  Stations,  reduc- 
ing them  to  a  fixed  number,  appointed  the  cere- 
monies to  be  observed,  the  days  and  churches  in 
which  they  were  to  be  held,  the  places  of  assemblage 
for  people  and  clergy  and  from  which  they 
walked  processionally  to  the  Stations  or  desig- 
nated churches,  the  indulgences  procurable  by  all 
participants,  and  ordered  such  stations  to  be  noted 
at  the  beginning  of  the  Masses  in  the  Roman 
Missal. 

The  solemn  processions  ceased  in  the  fourteenth 
century  during  the  residence  of  the  Popes  at 
Avignon,  and  now  the  visits  are  made  without 
ceremony.  Formerly,  only  one  church  was  assign- 
ed to  any  particular  day,  but  now  there  are  two 
and  three  on  some  days  although  only  one  is 
scheduled  in  the  Missal.  There  are  in  all  one 
hundred  and  one  stationary  churches  in  Rome 
for  eighty-four  days.  A  visit  to  one  of  these 
churches  suffices  to  gain  the  rich  indulgences. 

(d)  A  church  or  oratory  at  which  a  procession 
halts,  and  hence  processions  are  sometimes  called 
Stationes. 


Stations  423 

(e)  The  pictures  of  the  Passion  erected  in 
churches  before  which  the  people  pray  and  medi- 
tate. 

(/)  The  churches  wherein  special  courses  of 
sermons  are  given  by  appointed  preachers,  as  for 
example  in  Advent  and  Lent. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

THE  SACRED  VESTMENTS  IN   GENERAL. 

In  the  Study  of  Church  Vestments  how  many 
Methods  are  there? 

Two:     The  ritualistic  and  the  antiquarian. 

What  is  the  Ritualistic  Method? 

It  is  that  process  which  maintains  and  seeks  to 
prove  that  the  vestments  of  the  Christian  Church 
are  modeled  directly  upon  the  vestments  of  the 
Jewish  priesthood.  As  Moses,  by  the  command 
of  God,  formulated  minute  instructions  for  the 
shape  and  usage  of  these,  so  they  claim  an  in- 
direct divine  appointment  for  the  Christian  vest- 
ments. 

What  is  the  Antiquarian  Method? 

The  process  of  gaining  knowledge  of  the  vest- 
ments of  the  Church  by  a  study  of  archaeology 
and  a  patient  comparison  of  the  works  of  authors 
and  artists  of  successive  periods.  The  pictorial 
representations  of  the  catacombs,  mosaics  of  the 
earlier  churches  and  the  mortuary  figures  of 
ecclesiastics  on  ancient  tombs  furnish  the  chief 
material  for  this  study. 


Sacred  Vestments  in  General        425 

What  is  the  Decision  of  the  Antiquarian 
School? 

The  experts  in  this  school  are  unanimous  in 
holding  that  the  vestments  of  the  Christian 
Church  were  evolved  by  a  natural  process  from 
the  ordinary  costume  of  a  Roman  citizen  of  the 
first  or  second  century  of  our  era.  Dr.  Rock  in 
his  Hierurgia  (vol.  II,  p.  201)  quoting  Bona  and 
Thomassius,  emphasizes  this  distinction:  The  gar- 
ments once  worn  in  the  celebration  of  the  Sacred 
Mysteries  were  afterwards  exclusively  used  for  the 
same  holy  purpose.  It  was  considered  indecorous,  if 
not  a  profanation,  to  alienate  them  from  the  service 
of  the  altar  and  to  wear  them  when  otherwise  en- 
gaged. Fashion  then  had  its  caprices  and  way- 
wardness, although  unlike  the  present  in  the 
suddenness  and  capriciousness  of  its  changes.  The 
Sanctuary  was,  however,  kept  intact  from  these 
innovations  and  the  ecclesiastical  dress  kept  its 
original  form,  while  the  costumes  of  civil  society 
underwent  a  gradual  transformation.  In  process 
of  time  those  garments  which  once  were  uni- 
versally worn  by  the  people  of  condition  became 
peculiar  to  the  servants  of  the  altar.  This  began 
to  be  discernible  about  the  close  of  the  sixth 
century. 

As  between  these  two  schools  where  lies  the 
Probable  Truth? 
Neither  is  absolutely  correct.    Whilst  the  balance 


426  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

of  probability  is  enormously  in  favor  of  the  Anti- 
quarian theory,  it  does  not  cover  certain  changes 
which  were  made  in  the  textures,  outlines  and 
numbers  of  the  vestments  while  the  Church  was 
comparatively  in  her  infancy.  Before  Constantine's 
conversion  vestments  were  ordinarily  of  the  less 
expensive  materials,  and  decorated  merely  with 
scarlet  stripes,  called  lotus  clavus  (broad  stripe) 
after  the  manner  of  the  bands  of  purple  on  the 
ankle  tunics  of  Roman  senators.  Subsequently, 
the  vesture  remained  the  same  in  form,  but  was 
manufactured  of  the  richest  stuffs.  Later  along, 
changes  were  introduced  to  assimilate,  as  far  as 
possible,  the  Jewish  and  Christian  ceremonial  dress. 
Thus  it  may  be  affirmed  both  views  contain  an 
element  of  truth. 

Which  is  the  older  of  the  two  Systems  of  the 
Origin  of  Church  Vestments? 

The  theory  of  a  Levitical  origin  is  the  older  of 
the  two.  Not  only  was  it  the  first,  but  for  many 
years  it  was  the  only  solution  proposed.  Very 
few  now  hold  it  absolutely.  The  weight  of 
argument  is  against  it,  and  it  has  been  abandoned 
as  untenable. 

Who  first  Taught  the  Mosaic  Origin  of 
Christian  Vestments? 

Rabanus  Maurus,  Archbishop  of  Mayence,  in  his 
treatise,  "De  Institutione  Clericorum,"  written 
about  the  year  850. 


Sacred  Vestments  in  General        427 

Who  first  held  the  Opposite  View? 

Walafridus  Strabo,  a  Benedictine  monk,  pupil 
and  contemporary  of  Rabanus  Maurus,  in  his 
work,  "De  Exordiis  et  Incrementis  Rerum 
Ecclesiasticarum" 

What  was  Strabo' s  Opinion? 
That  Christian   priests  in  the  early  centuries 
officiated  in  the  common  dress  of  daily  life. 

What  Reply  is  to  be  made  to  the  Statement 
that  some  early  Fathers  contradict  Strabo? 

Passages  from  St.  Jerome,  the  Liturgy  of  St. 
Clement  and  the  charge  against  Cyril,  Bishop  of 
Jerusalem,  have  been  carefully  examined  by 
Marriott  in  his  "Vestiarium  Christianum"  and  de- 
clared inconclusive.  There  is  no  reference,  what- 
ever, in  these  extracts  to  a  vestment  of  any  pre- 
scribed shape,  and  their  color  is  only  specified  by 
such  indefinite  words  as  lautros  (bright)  and 
Candida  (white). 

When  did  the  development  of  Vestments  as 
to  Material  and  Shape  begin? 

About  the  end  of  the  fourth  century,  when  the 
Emperor  Theodosius  dying  (395)  the  Roman 
world  was  divided  between  his  two  sons,  Arcadius 
and  Honorius. 

How  may  this  Period  be  divided? 

Into  primitive  and  transitional    The  primi- 


428  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

tive  period  approximates  four  centuries,  during 
which  epoch,  clergy  and  people  wore  the  same 
style  of  vesture  both  in  church  and  out,  subject 
only  to  the  accidental  distinctions  of  quality  and 
cleanliness.  The  Transitional  era  begins  at  the 
end  of  the  fourth  century  and  proceeds  to  the 
eighth,  thus  also  comprising  four  centuries.  Dur- 
ing this  time  vestment-usage  rapidly  developed 
in  the  churches  of  the  West,  till  it  culminated  in 
the  gorgeous  enrichment  of  medieval  times. 

Whence  do  we  derive  the  fullest  Information 
on  Vestments  in  this  Period? 

From  the  fourth  Council  of  Toledo  (633)  under 
the  presidency  of  St.  Isidore,  of  Seville.  Its 
twenty-eighth  canon  provides  for  the  case  of  a 
cleric  who  had  been  unjustly  degraded  from  his 
Order,  and  ordains  that  such  a  one  if  he  be  found 
innocent  in  a  subsequent  synod,  "cannot  be  re- 
instated in  his  former  position  unless  he  regains 
his  lost  dignities  before  the  altar,  at  the  hands  of  a 
bishop.  If  he  be  a  bishop,  he  must  receive  the 
ovarium  (stole)  and  planeta  (chasuble);  if  a 
deacon,  the  orarium  and  alba  (alb);  if  a  sub- 
deacon,  the  paten  and  chalice,  and  similarly  for 
the  other  Orders — they  must  receive,  on  their 
restoration,  whatever  they  received  at  their 
ordination." 

On  the  principle  that  the  clergy  of  the  higher 
Orders   added  the  insignia  of  the  lower  Orders 


Sacred  Vestments  in  General        429 

to  those  of  their  own,  this  procedure  helps  us  to 
make  this  distribution  of  vestments  at  this  period 
in  Spain: 

Alba:  worn  by  all  alike. 

Orarium:  worn  by  deacons,  priests  and  bishops. 

Planeta:  worn  by  priests  and  bishops. 

Ring  and  Staff:  exclusively  for  bishops. 

What  Pope  supplements  this  Knowledge  of 
Vestments? 

Some  letters  of  Gregory  the  Great  (590-604) 
give  us  particulars  relative  to  these  other  vest- 
ments not  in  general  use,  which  signifies  either 
that  they  were  reserved  to  the  clergy  of  Rome, 
or  were  in  the  gift  of  the  Pope.  These  are  the 
dalmatica,  (dalmatic),  mappula  (little  napkin, 
maniple)  and  the  pallium. 

What  further  light  is  shed  on  this  Subject? 

An  anonymous  MS.  of  uncertain  date — Martene 
ascribes  it  to  the  sixth  and  Marriott  to  the  tenth 
century — found  in  the  monastery  of  Autun, 
enumerates  the  pallium,  casula  (chasuble), 
manualia  (bracelets),  vestimentum  (maniple), 
alba  and  stole  as  the  vestments  worn  in  the 
Gallican  Church.  The  manualia  are  found  in  no 
other  Western  list  and  suggest  a  derivation  from 
the  Eastern  Church,  where  the  Epimanikia,  cor- 
responding to  the  Western  maniple,  are  worn  on 
each  arm,  and  not  pendent  on  the  arm,  but  encom- 


430  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

passing  it  so  that  they  rather  resemble  cuffs  than 
napkins  suspended  on  the  wrists.  They  are  in- 
tended to  represent  the  bands  in  which  Christ  was 
bound. 

When  does  information  regarding  Vest- 
ments begin  to  be  Specific? 

In  the  ninth  century  and  on  through  the  Mid- 
dle Ages.  Prior  to  that  time,  Christian  literature 
and  art  had  been  retarded,  first  by  persecution, 
then  by  war  and  tumult.  The  military  genius  of 
Charlemagne  effected  a  general  peace  in  812,  and 
under  his  enthusiastic  patronage  a  true  renais- 
sance took  place  in  learning  and  art.  For  the 
first  time  active  and  systematic  researches  were 
made  into  the  details  of  doctrine  and  ritual  of  the 
Church  of  the  preceding  centuries.  This  was  the 
age  of  Rabanus  Maurus  and  Walafrid  Strabo.  As 
all  knowledge  of  classical  antiquity  had  for  three 
centuries  or  more  been  well  nigh  extinct,  it  is  in- 
telligible that  a  solution  of  the  phenomena  of 
Christian  vestments  would  be  sought  on  the 
theory  of  a  Levitical  origin. 

At  what  period  was  the  largest  increase 
made  to  Vestments? 

In  the  interval  between  the  ninth  and  eleventh 
centuries  the  number  of  recognized  vestments 
was  doubled.  To  exhibit  the  extent  of  these 
changes  the  subjoined  table  in  parallel  columns  is 


Sacred  Vestments  in  General        431 

submitted,  and  a  uniform  nomenclature  has  been 
adopted  so  that  the  reader  may  see  at  a  glance 
the  date  of  the  various  additions: 


Bibliography:  Catholic  Dictionary;  O'Brien,  History  of 
the  Mass;  Hierurgia,  Rock;  Sacra  Liturgia,  Vander  Stappen; 
De  SS.  Eucharistia,  Gasparri;  Monuments  of  the  Early 
Church,  Lowrie;  Vestiarium  Christianum,  Marriott;  Eccles- 
iastical Vestments,  Macalister;  Irish  Eccles.  Record,  Jan., 
May,  1906,  April,  June,  1907;  Am.  Eccles  Review,  Feb., 
Sept,  1890,  Feb.,  1891,  June,  1892,  July,  Aug.,  Sept.,  Dec, 
1904;   Origin  of  Christian  Worship,  Duchesne. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

SACRED  VESTMENTS— THE  AMICE. 

What  are  the  Sacred  Vestments  employed  by 
a  Priest  in  Celebrating  Mass? 

Six:  Amice,  alb,  cincture,  maniple,  stole  and 
chasuble. 

What  is  the  Amice  and  how  does  it  derive 
its  name? 

It  is  a  rectangular  piece  of  linen  about  three 
feet  long  and  two  feet  wide,  with  a  string  at  two 
of  its  upper  corners  by  which  to  gird  it  on  the 
shoulders  of  the  wearer,  and  a  cross  on  the  mid- 
dle of  the  upper  edge  which  the  priest  kisses 
when  vesting.  Its  name  is  derived  from  a  Latin 
verb,  amicire  (to  clothe  or  cover ) . 

Is  it  known  in  the  Liturgy  by  any  other 
name? 

It  is  also  called  Humeral  from  the  Latin 
humerus  (a  shoulder);  Anabolagium  from  a  Greek 
synonym  of  a  cloak;  Ephod,  because  it  resembles 
the  Aaronic  garment  of  that  name.  This  last 
analogy  is  rejected  by  modern  authorities. 

What  was  the  Primitive  Use  of  the  Amice? 

It  is  uncertain.  It  might  have  been  a  neck- 
cloth introduced  for  reasons  of  seemliness,  to  hide 
the  bare  throat,  or  again  a  kerchief  which  pro- 


Sacred  Vestments— The  Amice       433 

tected  the  richer  vestments  from  the  perspiration, 
so  apt  in  southern  climates  to  stream  from  face 
and  neck,  or  perhaps  a  winter  muffler  protecting 
the  throat  of  those  who  in  the  interest  of  church 
music  had  to  care  for  their  voices.  The  sub- 
deacon  at  his  ordination  receives  the  amice  from 
the  bishop,  who  says  to  him:  "Receive  the  amice 
by  which  is  signified  the  discipline  of  the  voice" 
(castigatio  vocis ).  Whilst  we  have  lost  the  exact 
meaning  of  this  phrase,  it  seems  to  have  reference 
to  some  primitive  use  of  the  amice  as  a  sort  of 
muffler  to  protect  the  throat. 

With  more  assurance  we  can  affirm  the  amice 
was  destined  as  a  covering  for  the  head,  neck  and 
shoulders,  it  being  the  first  vestment  donned.  As 
a  head  covering  it  remained  in  vogue  until  the 
tenth  century,  when  it  was  replaced  by  the 
ecclesiastical  cap,  or  berretta.  Many  of  the  older 
Religious  Orders,  like  the  Capuchins  and  Domini- 
cans, still  wear  the  amice  after  the  fashion  which 
prevailed  in  the  Middle  Ages.  It  covers  the 
head  and  shoulders  as  the  full-vested  priest  goes 
to  the  altar.  There  he  throws  it  back  from  the 
head,  giving  it,  as  it  hangs  about  the  neck  and 
over  the  chasuble,  the  appearance  of  a  small 
cowl.  It  thus  forms  a  sort  of  collar  to  protect 
the  stole  and  chasuble  from  contact  with  the 
skin.  On  his  return  to  the  sacristy,  the  amice  is 
again  drawn  over  the  head,  and  thus  in  passing 
to  and  from  the  altar,  it  is  used  as  a  head-cover- 


434  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

ing  in  lieu  of  the  modern  berretta.  With  the  ex- 
ception of  the  older  Religious  Orders,  this  method 
of  wearing  the  amice  has  fallen  into  desuetude 
for  the  clergy  at  large,  and  the  only  surviving 
trace  of  it  is  the  rubric  directing  that  in  putting 
it  on,  the  amice  should  for  a  moment  be  laid  upon 
the  head  before  it  is  adjusted  about  the  neck. 

What  is  its  Material? 

Linen,  woven  from  the  fibre  of  flax  and  hemp, 
is  the  only  permissible  material.  A  little  cross 
must  be  sewed  to,  or  worked  upon  the  amice  in 
the  middle,  which  the  priest  is  directed  to  kiss 
when  assuming  it. 

What  is  the  Mystical  Meaning  of  the  Amice? 

It  may  be  gleaned  from  the  prayer  recited  in 
donning  it:  "Place  upon  my  head,  0  Lord,  the 
helmet  of  salvation  for  repelling  the  attacks  of  the 
evil  one."  It  is  part  of  the  armor  of  a  soldier  of 
Christ,  and  reminds  him  that  life  is  a  warfare  in 
which  he  must  strive  for  the  victory. 

Who  is  entitled  to  Wear  the  Amice? 

The  amice  being  a  sacred  vestment  should  not 
be  worn  by  clerics  below  the  grade  of  sub-deacon. 

Is  the  Amice  alivays  put  on  before  the  Alb? 

Ordinarily,  it  is.  In  the  Ambrosian  rite,  how- 
ever, it  is  donned  after  the  alb.  The  Pope,  when 
pontificating,  wears  a  sort  of  second  amice  of 
striped  silk  called  janon,  which  is  assumed  after 


Sacred  Vestments— The  Amice       435 

the  alb  and  then  folded  back  over  the  neck  of 
the  chasuble. 

When  did  the  Amice  become  a  Liturgical 
Vestment? 

It  is  uncertain.  Theodulph  of  Orleans  (821) 
and  Walafrid  Strabo  (849)  make  no  mention  of  it. 
The  "Admonitio  Synodalis,"  credited  to  the  ninth 
century,  distinctly  enjoins  that  no  one  must  say 
Mass  without  amice,  alb,  stole,  maniple  and 
chasuble. 

Is  the  Amice  Synonomous  with  the  Almuce, 
also  styled  Amys  or  Amess? 

It  is  not.  The  Amuce,  from  the  Teutonic  Muce 
(cap  or  hood)  and  the  Arabic  article  al,  probably 
a  Spanish  prefix,  was  a  hood  lined  with  fur,  and, 
like  the  cassock,  designed  to  protect  the  priest 
from  cold.  In  winter,  the  churches,  never  very 
warm,  would  have  been  uninhabitable  before  the 
invention  of  heating  stoves  or  furnaces  had  it  not 
been  for  comfortable  articles  of  apparel  such  as 
these.  It  was  shaped  so  that  it  could  lie  over  the 
shoulders  as  a  tippet,  or  be  drawn  over  the  head 
as  a  hood.  The  cloth  exterior  was  black  usually, 
like  the  cassock,  and  the  fur  lining  varied  in 
color  and  quality  with  the  rank  of  the  wearer. 
Doctors  of  divinity  and  canons  wore  an  almuce 
lined  with  gray  fur,  and  all  others  a  dark  brown 
fur.  About  the  year  1300  the  almuce  as  a  hood 
was  superseded  by  a  cap. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

THE   CINCTURE. 

What  is  the  Purpose  of  the  Cincture? 

To  gather  up  the  long  and  broad 
alb  that  it  may  be  fitted  closely  to 
the  body.  It  is  tied  about  the  waist 
to  keep  the  alb  in  its  proper  place. 
Laborers,  soldiers  and  pilgrims  were 
wont  to  gird  themselves  to  secure 
their  long  loose  garments  to  facili- 
tate their  movements. 

By  what   Other  Names  is  it 
Known? 
It  is  also  called  zone,  girdle,  band 

CINCTURE.  Qr   bdt 

What  is  the  Material  of  the  Cincture? 

The  ancient  usage  favors  linen  cinctures.  Wool 
is  also  permitted.  (Decree  of  December  23, 1862). 
Silk  is  also  tolerated,  because  to  the  question, 
whether  a  priest  could  use  a  silk  cincture,  the 
Sacred  Congregation  of  Rites  (Decree  of  January 
22,  1701)  replied  that  a  linen  cincture  would 
better  meet  all  the  proprieties. 

What  is  the  Color  of  the  Cincture? 
Formerly  it  varied  in  color  to  harmonize  with 


The  Cincture  437 

the  color  of  the  vestments.  Now  it  is  almost  ex- 
clusively white,  although  other  colors  may  be 
used  according  to  the  option  of  the  priest.  Termi- 
nating both  ends  are  two  large  tassels  of  the 
same  color  as  the  cord. 

What  ivas  its  original  Shape? 

It  was  wide  like  a  sash,  of  silk  and  cloth  of  gold 
and  studded  with  gems. 

What  is  the  Form  of  the  Cincture  in  the 
Oriental  Church? 

Among  the  Greeks  and  Syrians  the  cincture  is 
broader  than  ours,  and  instead  of  being  knotted 
is  buckled  in  front  with  a  hook  or  clasp. 

What  is  the  Subcingulum  or  Succinctorium? 

It  takes  the  form  of  a  girdle  passed  around  the 
alb,  and  having  on  the  left  side  a  maniple-like 
appendage.  Innocent  III,  writing  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  thirteenth  century,  describes  the 
vestment  as  peculiar  to  bishops.  Now  we  know 
it  is  reserved  for  the  exclusive  use  of  the  Pope. 
The  history  of  its  origin  and  use  is  the  most 
curious  and  difficult  of  all  the  priestly  vestments. 
Very  probably  it  is  a  modification  into  an  orna- 
ment of  something  designed  for  a  natural  require- 
ment. When  the  maniple  became  too  narrow, 
and  too  richly  embroidered  for  use  as  a  handker- 
chief, a  plain  piece  of  cloth  may  have  been  sub- 
stituted for  it  which  would  require  a  pocket  in 


438  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

which  to  place  it  Again,  a  receptacle  would  be 
needed  for  the  thumbstall  or  thimble  placed  on 
the  thumb,  after  it  had  been  dipped  in  chrism, 
to  keep  it  from  soiling  the  vestments,  and  also  for 
the  metal  "apples,"  in  which  hot  water  was  placed 
when  the  day  was  cold.  The  subcingulum  may 
have  supplied  these  wants. 

What  is  the  Symbolic  Significancy  of  the 
Cincture? 

It  is  revealed  in  the  following  prayer  which  the 
priest  says  in  assuming  it:  "Gird  me,  0  Lord! 
with  the  cincture  of  purity  and  extinguish  in  my 
loins  the  heat  of  concupiscence  that  the  virtue  of 
continence  and  chastity  may  abide  in  me." 


*£&kh 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

THE  ALB. 

What  is  the  Alb? 

It  is  a  white  linen  vestment, 
with  close  fitting  sleeves,  reach- 
ing nearly  to  the  ground  and 
secured  around  the  waist  by  a 
girdle. 

By  what  names  has  it  been 
known? 

In  the  past  it  has  been  known 
by  various  names:  tunica  linea 
(linen  tunic)  from  its  material; 
tunica  talaris  and  talaris 
(ankle  tunic)  from  tali  (ankles) 
because  it  reaches  to  the  feet; 
camisia  (shirt)  from  the  shirt-like  nature  of  the 
garment;  alba  (white)  from  its  color;  alba 
Romana  (Roman  alb)  to  distinguish  it  from  the 
shorter  tunics  which  found  favor  outside  Rome. 

What  name  alone  survives  in  our  day? 

The  name  of  alb  or  alba  (white)  is  almost  the 
only  surviving  name. 

Is  there  any  difference  between  the  Liturgi- 
cal Alb  and  the  Albse  Vestes  {white  garments) 
of  Medieval  Writers? 


ALB 


440  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

The  alb  is  ordinarily  a  clerical  garment,  although 
laymen  are  sometimes  clothed  in  it  in  Corpus 
Christi  processions,  notably  in  the  ancient  city  of 
Aigues  Mortes,  where  the  writer  witnessed  this 
use  of  it.  The  Albse  Vestes  were,  however,  the 
white  garments  assumed  by  the  newly  baptized 
on  Holy  Saturday  and  worn  until  Low  Sunday, 
which  was  consequently  known  as  Dominica  in 
Albis  (deponendis) ,  the  Sunday  of  the  (laying 
aside  of  these)  white  garments.  Possibly  our 
Whit  Sunday,  the  Sunday  after  Pentecost  baptisms 
may  derive  its  name  from  a  similar  practice. 
These  white  garments  were  also  called  "Chrismals." 

What  is  the  origin  of  the  Alb? 

It  is  impossible  to  speak  positively  of  the  origin 
of  this  vestment.  Medieval  liturgists  who  favored 
the  Mosaic  origin  of  the  vestments  imagined  they 
found  its  counterpart  in  the  Kethonet,  a  white 
linen  tunic  of  which  we  read  in  Exodus,  ch. 
XXVIII,  v.  39.  But  a  white  linen  tunic  also 
formed  a  part  of  the  ordinary  attire  of  both 
Romans  and  Greeks  under  the  Empire,  and  most 
modern  authorities,  like  Duchesne  and  Braun,  think 
it  needless  to  look  further  for  the  origin  of  the  alb. 

Where  is  the  first  mention  oj  it  as  an  item 
of  ordinary  dress? 

In  a  passage  of  Trebellius  Pollio,  who  speaks  of 
an  alba  subserica  (a  half  silken  alb)  mentioned 
in  a  letter  sent  from  Valerian  to  Zosimus,  Procura- 
tor of  Syria  (260-270) . 


The  Alb 


441 


What  was  its  Shape  and  Use  in  everyday 
life  of  the  Roman  Citizen? 

Of  the  garments  worn  in  everyday  life  by  the 
Roman  citizen,  the  innermost  was  the  tunica 
talaris  (ankle  tunic)  or  long  tunic.  It  was  white  and 
usually  of  wool.  It  was  called  talaris,  or  long,  because 
being  the  alb  of  ceremony,  it  was  distinguished 
from  the  short  tunic,  used  when  freedom  was 
required  for  active  exertion.  The  tunics  of  sena- 
tors and  knights  were  specialized  by  two  strips  of 
purple,  in  the  former  case  broad  (lati  clavi)  in  the 
latter,  narrow  (angusti  clavi)  which  crossed  each 
shoulder  and  descended  both  before  and  behind 
as  far  as  the  bottom  of  the  garment. 

The  tunic  was  originally  a  sleeveless  garment. 
An  age  of  luxury  gradually  introduced  a  new  kind 
of  tunic  provided  with  sleeves.  The  older  or  sleeve- 
less tunic  was  called 
colobium,  a  Latinized 
form  of  a  Greek  adjec- 
tive signifying  docked 
or  curtailed.  The 
sleeve  tunic  was  nam- 
ed tunica  mancata 
(long  sleeved  tunic) 
or  tunica  Dalmatica 
(Dalmatian  tunic) 
from  the  name  of  the 
province,  Dalmatia,  to 
which  its  invention  is 
ascribed. 


FROM   THE  CEMETERY  OF  SS.   PETER 

AND  MARCELLINUS,   ROME. 

ILLUSTRATING  THE   CLAVUS. 


3 


< 


O    Z 

a:   — 

< 

a: 


-    D 

en    -> 
O 

< 


til 


I 


Z 
< 


a; 


The  Alb  443 

Although  the  use  of  this  latter  garment,  in  the 
beginning,  was  discredited  as  effeminate,  it  event- 
ually ousted  its  more  austere  rival  from  popular 
favor,  for  we  find  that  anno.  258,  St.  Cyprian  of 
Carthage,  wore  a  tunica  dalmatica,  over  which 
was  a  byrrhus,  or  cloak,  when  led  out  to  martyr- 
dom. At  such  a  solemn  crisis,  it  is  incredible  that 
Cyprian  would  have  assumed  a  merely  luxurious 
garment,  and  equally  incredible  that  he  was 
robed  in  ecclesiastical  vestments. 

How  does  the  Liturgical  Alb  compare  with 
this  Tunica  Dalmatica? 

It  also  has  the  tight  sleeves  reaching  to  the 
wrist.  Both  are  worn  in  the  same  manner,  and 
both  reached  to  the  feet.  The  ancient  frescoes 
represent  ecclesiastics  wearing  albs  which  show 
ornaments  disposed  like  the  clavi  (bands)  of  the 
tunica  talaris.  These  clavi  by  their  relative 
width  distinguish  representations  of  Christ  from 
the  Apostles,  and  help  to  discriminate  between 
the  figures  of  ecclesiastics  of  different  ranks. 

When  and  by  Whom  is  it  first  recorded  as  a 
Mass  Vestment? 

Pope  St.  Sylvester  (253-257)  ordained,  "that 
deacons  should  use  the  dalmatica  in  the  church, 
and  that  their  left  hands  should  be  covered  with 
a  cloth  of  mingled  wool  and  linen."  (Migne, 
Patrol,  vol.  CXXVII,  1514).  The  left  hand  cover- 
ing refers  to  the  maniple.     The   Pseudo-Alcuin 


444  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

tells  us  that,  "the  use  of  the  dalmaticas  (long- 
sleeved  albs)  was  instituted  by  Pope  Sylvester,  for 
previously,  colobia  (sleeveless  albs)  had  been 
worn."  (Migne,  vol.  CI,  1243).  St.  Isidore  of  Seville 
(560-636)  also  refers  to  it.  (Migne,  LXXXII, 
635).  The  forty-first  Canon  of  the  Fourth  Coun- 
cil of  Carthage  (400)  ordains  that  the  deacon  shall 
wear  an  alb  only  "tempore  oblationis  tantum 
vel  lectionis"  (during  the  Mass  or  liturgical  read- 
ing). (Labbe,  Sacrosancta  Concilii  (1671)  vol.  II, 
col.  1203).  The  first  Council  of  Narbonne  (589) 
enacts  that,  "neither  deacon  nor  sub-deacon,  nor 
yet  the  lector  shall  presume  to  put  off  his  alb 
until  after  Mass  is  over."    (Labbe,  vol.  5,  col.  1030). 

In  Use  and  Shape  how  has  this  Vestment 
Varied? 

Until  the  middle  of  the  twelfth  century,  all 
clerics  wore  the  alb  in  their  sacred  functions, 
assisting  at  Mass,  or  a  Synod  and  taking  Com- 
munion to  the  sick.  In  the  monasteries,  not  only 
the  officiating  monks  wore  the  albs,  but  also  those 
who  sat  in  the  stalls.  Since  the  twelfth  century, 
the  surplice  has  gradually  been  substituted  for 
the  alb,  except  for  sub-deacon,  deacon,  priest  and 
bishop  actually  officiating.  At  present  it  is  little 
used  outside  Mass. 

In  form  the  vestment  has  not  changed,  except 
in  the  enlargement  or  contraction  of  its  lateral 
dimensions.     Prior  to  the  ninth  century  it  was  of 


The  Alb  445 

generous  size,  because  the  cassock  and  inner  gar- 
ments were  worn  under  it,  and  the  cassock  of 
that  age  was  usually  lined  with  fur,  making  it  a 
clumsy  garment.  This  flowing  robe,  by  exper- 
ience was  found  to  seriously  impede  the  priest  in 
some  of  his  functions,  for  instance  in  administer- 
ing Baptism  by  immersion.  A  close-fitting  alb 
was  adopted  for  use  on  such  occasions,  and  this 
baptism-alb  became  the  parent  of  the  more  con- 
tracted medieval  alb  which  came  into  general  use 
in  all  the  offices  of  the  Church. 

Will  the  Alb  now  admit  of  Ornament? 

It  admits  of  lace  as  an  ornament,  and  also  a 
colored  lining  behind  the  cuff  of  the  sleeves  (decree 
of  July  12,  1892)  although  the  Congregation  of 
Rites  had  prohibited  this  by  a  former  decree. 

What  was  the  Ornamentation  of  Albs  in 
former  ages? 

Rich  and  heavy  embroideries  decorated  the 
lower  edge,  wrists  and  neck.  In  the  thirteenth 
century  the  fashion  of  -'apparels"  came  into  vogue. 
These  were  oblong  patches  of  rich  brocade,  or 
embroidery  sewed  to  the  lower  rim,  the  wrists, 
breast  or  back,  or  both.  Later,  except  in  Milan 
in  the  Ambrosian  rite,  these  albs  disappeared 
before  the  introduction  of  lace  as  an  ornament. 

What  is  the  Material  and  Color  oj  the  Alb? 
The  body  and  sleeves  must  be  made  of  linen; 


446  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

hence  cotton  or  wool  is  forbidden.  By  a  decree 
of  the  Sacred  Congregation  of  Rites  (May  15, 1819) 
cotton  albs  and  amices  then  in  vogue  were  allowed 
until  worn  out.  Their  successors  must,  however, 
be  linen.  The  same  privilege  was  denied  for 
corporals,  palls  and  purificators.  For  Spain  it  was 
decreed  that  a  special  vegetable  fibre,  not  hemp, 
but  kindred  to  it,  was  improper  material.  (Decree 
of  August  13,  1895).  In  the  Vicariate  of  China, 
a  vegetable  fibre  called  "hia-pou"  of  the  same 
family  as  hemp,  was  permitted  because  of  a  long 
enduring  custom,  poverty  and  difficulty  of  procuring 
linen.  (Decree,  June  27,  1898).  The  color  must 
now  be  white.  Medieval  inventories  show  blue,  red 
and  black  albs,  and  albs  made  in  silk,  velvet  and  cloth 
of  gold.  In  isolated  instances  the  use  of  silk  and 
colored  albs  still  lingers  in  the  East  and  West. 

What  is  the  Significancy  of  the  Alb? 

According  to  Pope  Innocent  III  (1198-1216)  the 
alb  from  the  purity  of  its  color  denotes  newness 
of  life.  This  was  exemplified  in  the  practice  of 
clothing  the  newly-baptized  in  white  garments 
with  these  words:  "Receive  this  white  and  spot- 
less garment,  which  you  are  to  bear  before  the 
tribunal  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  you  may 
possess  eternal  life.     Amen." 

Priests  of  the  Latin  Church  put  on  the  alb  with 
this  prayer:  "Purify  me,  0  Lord !  and  make  me 
clean  of  heart,  that  washed  in  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb,  I  may  possess  eternal  joy." 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

THE   MANIPLE. 

What  is  the  Maniple? 

It  is  a  small  strip  of  cloth,  uniform  in  material 
with  the  stole  and  chasuble,  embroidered  with  a 
triple  cross — one  in  the  middle  and  one  at  each  of 
its  extremities,  worn  on  the  left  wrist,  to  which  it 
is  attached  by  a  pin  or  string.  It  is  of  the  same 
width  as  the  stole  and  is  about  two  feet  long. 
When  in  place,  it  hangs  equally  on  both  sides. 

What  are  its  Ancient  Names? 

Maniple,  fanon  (fano,  to  dedicate),  sudarium 
(sweat-cloth),  mappula  (small  napkin),  linteum 
(linen-cloth)  and  mantele  (napkin). 

From  what  source  do  ive  obtain  a  knowledge 
of  its  use? 

The  early  Christian  monuments  fail  to  furnish 
any  illustration  of  the  unfolded  towel  upon  the 
shoulder  of  the  deacon,  and  its  stages  of  develop- 
ment between  that  and  the  narrow  band  of  cloth 
as  we  know  it  now.  The  Pagan  monuments, 
however,  are  more  responsive  and  give  us  frequent 
examples  of  such  a  towel  borne  upon  the  left 
shoulder  of  camilli  (youths  who  ministered  at  the 
sacrifices),  and  delicati  (table-servants),  and  of 


448  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

the  contabulatio  (folding  or  plaiting),  which  this 
mantele  underwent,  notwithstanding  its  strictly 
practical  purpose.  The  Rt.  Rev.  Monsignor  Wilpert, 
Protonotary  Apostolic,  in  his  "Un  Capitolo  di 
storia  del  Vestiario,"  reproduces  and  illustrates 
many  such  monuments.  They  reveal  it  in  the 
early  part  of  the  Empire  as,  on  one  side,  rough 
(villosum,  like  Turkish  towelling),  and  afterwards 
of  fine  linen  which  permitted  it  to  be  neatly 
folded. 

To  whom  was  its  use  first  appointed? 

Vander  Stappen  testifies  that,  primitively,  all 
those  who  offered,  or  accepted  anything  at  the 
altar  had  the  hands  covered  with  a  white  napkin. 
In  the  fourth  centurv  it  was  reserved  to  the 
deacons  of  Rome  as  their  peculiar  privilege,  to 
cover  the  left  hand  with  the  mappula  whilst 
serving  at  special  functions. 

Why  was  it  given  to  the  Deacon? 

Such  a  towel  was  demanded  by  the  deacons  in 
the  early  period  because  their  service  was  then 
far  more  material  than  it  is  now.  Part  of  the 
support  of  the  clergy  was  furnished  by  offerings 
received  by  the  deacon,  out  of  which  he  had  to 
separate  the  bread  and  wine  for  the  Mass.  In  the 
Mass  itself,  the  sacred  vessels  were  larger  as  the 
consumption  was  more  frequent,  if  not  greater, 
and  the  purifying  of  these  was  the  deacon's  ex- 
clusive duty.    It  was  also  his  privilege  to  minister 


The  Maniple  449 

to  the  celebrant  with  water  and  towel  for  the 
washing  of  his  hands. 

What  was  the  Original  Use  of  the  Maniple? 

It  served  as  a  towel,  or  napkin  and  kerchief  to 
absorb  the  perspiration  of  the  wearer,  and  dry 
the  hands  to  prevent  the  soiling  of  the  vestments. 
Alcuin,  in  the  ninth  century,  thus  refers  to  it: 

"The  little  kerchief  which  is  worn  on  the  left 
hand,  wherewith  we  wipe  off  the  moisture  of  the 
eyes  and  nose  designates  the  present  life  in  which 
we  suffer  from  superfluous  humors." 

Amalerius,  a  contemporary,  also  testifies:  "We 
carry  a  handkerchief  (sudarium)  for  the  purpose 
of  wiping  the  perspiration."  It  had,  therefore, 
nothing  in  common  with  the  mappa,  or  signal- 
cloth,  with  which  the  Emperor  and  higher  officials 
gave  the  sign  for  the  games. 

How  was  the  Maniple  worn? 

In  its  towel  and  napkin  form  it  was  carried  on 
the  left  shoulder  and  over  the  left  hand.  In  its 
liturgical  form  it  was  first  worn  over  the  fingers 
of  the  left  hand,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  figure  of 
Archbishop  Stigand  in  the  Bayeux  tapestry.  This 
arrangement  was  most  inconvenient  as  it  was 
constantly  liable  to  slip  off,  and  the  fingers  had  to 
be  held  in  a  constrained  attitude  throughout  the 
service.  It  was  early  found  more  convenient  to 
place  the  vestment  over  the  left  wrist,  to  which  it 
is  attached  by  pin  or  ribbon.     The  few  effigies 


450  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

which  represent  it  on  the  right  wrist  are  unauthor- 
ized by  any  liturgical  rule,  and  can  only  be 
attributed  to  the  blunder  of  the  engraver  or 
sculptor. 

When  did  the  Maniple  become  a  Liturgical 
Distinction? 

At  the  end  of  the  fourth  century,  when  the 
Council  of  Laodicea  forbade  its  use  to  sub-deacons 
and  the  inferior  clergy. 

What  are  the  steps  of  the  development  of  the 
Maniple  into  a  Liturgical  Vestment? 

In  the  sixth  century,  John,  Archbishop  of 
Ravenna,  petitioned  Pope  St.  Gregory  the  Great, 
to  permit  his  minor  clergy  to  wear  the  maniple  in 
imitation  of  the  clergy  of  Rome,  which  was 
granted  only  to  the  first  deacons  of  Ravenna.  In 
the  eighth  century,  the  Pope  began  to  wear  it  on 
his  left  hand.  Rome  and  Ravenna  monopolized 
its  use  until  the  tenth  century.  This  date  fixes 
its  limit  as  a  handkerchief.  Thenceforth  it  began 
to  be  worn  as  a  liturgical  vestment,  and  by  the 
twelfth  century  it  was  in  general  usage,  not  under 
the  form  of  a  simple  white  kerchief,  but  as  an 
ornament  of  symbolical  significancy,  of  the  same 
material  as  the  stole  and  chasuble.  The  twelfth 
century  determines  the  date  when  the  maniple 
was  given  to  sub-deacons  in  their  ordination. 

When  is  the  Maniple  Assumed? 

By  priest,  deacon  and  sub-deacon  it  is  assumed 


The  Maniple  451 

after  the  cincture  and  before  the  stole,  when  these 
ministers  are  vesting  for  special  functions.  It  is 
assumed  by  a  bishop-celebrant  only  after  he  has 
been  entirely  vested,  and  has  proceeded  in  the 
Mass  to  the  "indulgentiam"  after  the  Confiteor, 
just  prior  to  his  ascent  to  the  altar. 

Why  is  the  Bishop  invested  with  the  Maniple 
at  that  time? 

To  perpetuate  the  memory  of  an  ancient  custom 
when  the  ample  and  enveloping  chasuble  com- 
pletely covered  the  celebrant.  This  chasuble  was 
folded  back  over  the  hands  by  the  deacon  and 
sub-deacon  just  before  the  celebrant  ascended  the 
altar  steps  to  begin  Mass,  and  only  then  was 
the  maniple  given  because  its  employment  was 
impossible  before.  Now  by  the  curtailment  of 
the  chasuble  this  is  rendered  unnecessary,  but  the 
love  of  her  ancient  days,  and  her  desire  to  impress 
them  upon  the  veneration  of  her  children  prompts 
the  Church  to  continue  the  antique  custom  in  a 
bishop's  Mass  only. 

What  determines  the  use  and  the  non-use  oj 
the  Maniple? 

Its  ancient  usage  as  a  linen  napkin  covering  the 
hands  when  receiving  the  offerings  of  the  faith- 
ful and  delivering  them  to  the  celebrant  in  the 
Mass.  In  accordance  with  this  custom,  the 
maniple  is  not  put  on  by  the  celebrant  until  after 
the  Asperges,  and  is  removed  for  Benediction  and 


452  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

the  Absolution  after  a  Mass  of  requiem,  and  is  not 
worn  at  Vespers.  This  is  another  memorial  of  its 
primitive  use. 

Is  the  Maniple  a  Vestment  in  the  Oriental 
Church? 

The  maniple  of  the  Eastern  is  very  different 
from  that  of  the  Western  Church.  Two  maniples 
are  worn,  one  on  each  arm,  taking  the  form  of 
ample,  loose  surplice  sleeves  fastened  to  the  wrists 
by  a  silken  string.  The  bishop's  maniple  is 
decorated  with  an  icon,  or  image  of  the  Saviour 
which  is  presented  to  the  people  to  be  kissed. 
These  maniples  are  called  Epimanikia,  (some- 
thing worn  on  the  hand)  from  Greek  epi,  upon, 
and  Latin  manus,  a  hand. 

What  is  the  Significancy  of  the  Maniple? 

It  signifies: 

(a)  The  chains  whereby  Christ  was  bound  to 
the  column  of  flagellation. 

(6)  The  tears  of  penance  and  the  labors  and 
fruits  of  a  good  life.  When  the  priest  assumes  it, 
he  says:  "May  I  deserve,  0  Lord,  to  bear  the 
maniple  of  weeping  and  sorrow  in  order  that  I 
may  reap  joyfully  the  reward  of  my  labors," 

The  bishop  in  ordaining  a  sub-deacon  says  whilst 
investing  him  with  the  maniple:  "Receive  the 
maniple  by  which  is  tokened  the  fruit  of  good 
works." 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

THE  STOLE. 


PREACHING  AND 
BENEDICTION  STOLE 


1 1  What  is  the  Stole? 

It  is  a  band  of  cloth  of  the 
same  material  as  the  maniple  and 
chasuble  when  worn  by  a  full- 
vested  priest  and  deacon,  ordi- 
narily of  the  same  width  as  the 
maniple  but  very  much  longer. 
When  worn  by  the  priest  at 
special  functions  like  Benediction 
and  preaching,  its  texture  is  dis- 
tinctly precious  with  rich  orna- 
mentation and  larger  than  the 
Mass-stole.  , 


The  stole  in  use  for  confessions, 
sick  calls  and  the  administration  of 
the  sacraments  is  of  humbler 
material  and  more  contracted  in 
size. 

How  is  the  Stole  Worn? 

The  Mass-stole  is  worn  around 
the  neck  by  the  bishop  and  abbot 
when  pontificating,  pendent  on  both 
sides,  and  not  crossed  at  the  breast, 


SICK  AND 
CONFESSION  STOLB 


454  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

because  the  pectoral  cross  has  been  already 
donned.  It  is  carried  by  the  priest  in  the  same 
manner,  with  the  exception  that  it  is  crossed  on 
his  breast  and  held  in  position  by  the  cincture. 
The  earliest  representation  of  an  episcopal  stole 
is  given  in  a  mosaic  of  the  early  sixth  century  at 
Ravenna.  Priests  generally  wore  the  stole  like 
the  bishops.  The  practice  of  crossing  it  on  the 
breast  is  ancient,  but  did  not  become  general  until 
a  late  period.  It  is  worn  by  the  deacon  only  on 
the  left  shoulder  and  carried  to  the  right  side 
under  the  arm  where  it  is  crossed  and  held  in 
place  either  by  the  cincture  or  a  small  connecting 
band.  This  mode  of  wearing  it  suggests  his  in- 
feriority to  the  priest  and  his  freedom  of  service 
by  leaving  the  right  hand  unencumbered  when 
ministering  at  the  altar.  In  functions  outside  the 
Mass  the  priest  wears  the  stole  equally  pendent 
on  both  sides. 

Who  has  a  right  to  wear  the  Stole? 

All  in  sacred  Orders,  including  deacons.  The 
Council  of  Laodicea,  (364)  prohibited  the  stole  to 
lectors  and  sub-deacons.  "The  Levite  (deacon) 
ought  to  wear  one  Orarion  (stole)  on  his  left 
shoulder  because  he  orates,  that  is  preaches." 

When  and  why  is  the  Stole  worn? 

The  rubrics  prescribe,  or  custom  sanctions  the 
wearing  of  the  stole  in  all  functions  where  graces 


The  Stole  455 

and  blessings  are  imparted,  like  in  all  that  con- 
cerns the  Blessed  Eucharist,  the  administration  of 
the  sacraments,  the  use  and  blessing  of  sacra- 
mentals,  and  often  in  preaching.  Because  it  is  a 
symbol  of  spiritual  power  and  jurisdiction,  it  was 
formerly  more  frequently  worn,  and  a  Council  of 
Mayence  (813 )  ordered  priests  to  wear  it  " without 
intermission." 

The  present  discipline  restricts  its  presence  to 
those  functions  wherein  this  spiritual  power  is 
exercised  and  applied.  As  an  emblem  of  juris- 
diction among  priests  it  holds  a  significancy  akin 
to  that  of  the  pallium  among  archbishops. 

What  was  the  original  name  of  the  Stole? 
Orarium. 

What  is  its  Derivation? 

The  origin  and  use  of  this  vestment  have  been 
a  source  of  much  research  to  scholars.  Here  is  a 
list  of  possible  derivations: 

(1)  Ora,  because  used  to  wipe  the  face. 

(2)  Orare,  because  used  in  prayer. 

(3)  Hora,  because  it  indicated  the  time  of  the 
various  parts  of  the  service. 

(4)  Ora,  (a  coast)  because  claiming  to  be 
originally  the  edging  or  orphrey  of  a  lost  garment. 

How  do  Authorities  vary  in  Determining 
the  Origin  of  the  Stole? 


456  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

The  Council  of  Toledo  (633)  inclines  to  a  deriva- 
tion from  orare,  to  pray.  Cardinal  Bona  finds 
its  source  in  No.  4  and  conjectures  that  it  is 
merely  the  ornamental  selvage  of  what  was  the 
real  stole  of  the  ancients.  O'Brien  traces  its 
origin  to  No.  3,  as  if  it  were  used  as  a  signal 
cloth,  to  indicate  the  progress  of  the  Mass,  and  he 
claims  to  find  corroboration  of  this  usage  of  the 
stole  in  the  Eastern  Church  of  to-day.  Marriott, 
Vander  Stappen,  Rock,  Macalister,  Walter  Lowrie, 
Gihr  and  all  more  recent  liturgists  find  its  proto- 
type in  No.  1,  Ova,  because  employed  as  a 
kerchief,  towel  or  scarf. 

According  to  this  Theory  what  was  its 
Primitive  Use? 

The  towel  and  scarf-use  seems  to  have  been 
distinct  and  peculiar  to  different  grades  of  the 
clergy.  For  example,  with  deacons,  the  Orarium 
was  a  towel,  and  then  it  was  easily  confused  with 
the  maniple.  Indeed,  it  is  very  possible  that  stole 
and  maniple  went  by  the  common  name  of 
Orarium,  when  worn  by  a  deacon.  In  this  rela- 
tion the  two  earliest  church  writers  to  mention 
this  vestment  are  St.  Isidore  of  Pelusium  (Ep.  I, 
136)  and  the  preacher  of  the  sermon  on  the 
Prodigal  Son,  credited  to  St.  Chrysostom.  Both 
call  it  "othone"  (linteum,  linen)  which  is  the  same 
as  our  towel.  It  was  worn  by  deacons  on  the 
left  shoulder.   One  compares  it  to  the  towel  of  Our 


The  Stole  457 

Saviour  when  washing  the  Apostles'   feet;   an- 
other recognizes  in  it  a  likeness  to  Angels'  wings. 

But  the  Orarion  or  Orarium  was  also  a  scarf. 
St.  Ambrose  speaks  of  the  dead  face  of  Lazarus 
as  bound  with  an  Orarium,  and  St.  Augustine 
employs  the  same  term  to  describe  a  bandage 
used  to  protect  a  wounded  eye.  This  scarf-use 
of  the  Orarium,  peculiar  to  priests  and  bishops, 
explains  the  mode  of  their  wearing  it,  as  dis- 
tinguished from  deacons.  When  a  towel,  it  was 
linen.  When  a  scarf,  its  texture  was  that  of 
white  wool  or  colored  silk  and  worn  around  the 
neck  and  under  the  chasuble,  as  it  is  now,  for  it 
was  properly  a  neck-cloth. 

The  tunic  of  those  primitive  days  was  without 
collar,  and  the  dalmatic  and  chasuble  had  aper- 
tures too  broad  to  afford  any  protection  for  the 
neck.  The  neck  demanded  care  in  the  severe 
cold,  and  the  dignity  of  the  service  prescribed  that 
the  necks  of  the  ministers  be  covered.  As  the 
neck  scarf  was  in  vogue  at  the  end  of  the  Em- 
pire, priests  and  bishops  took  the  model  and  usage 
of  the  Orarium  or  stole  from  it.  When  the 
deacon's  Orarium  had  become  a  mere  ornamental 
scarf  it  differed  from  that  of  the  priest  only  in  the 
method  of  its  wearing.  For  example,  bishops 
wore  it  over  the  chasuble,  priests  under  the 
chasuble,  and  deacons  over  the  left  shoulder, 
hanging  straight  down  at  front  and  back,  and  not 
crossed  under  the  right  arm  as  now. 


458 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


GREEK    DEACON 


What  looks  like  the 
contemporary  heir  of 
this  ancient  scarf  as  to 
use  and  material  is  that 
distinctly  Papal  vest- 
ment called  the  Ovale 
or  Fanon  from  Jano 
(banner)  worn  only  by 
a  Pope  when  solemnly 
celebrating.  This  Fanon 
is  an  oblong  piece  of 
white  silk  gauze  about 
one  yard  long  with  trans- 
verse stripes  of  gold,  blue 
and  red.  It  is  cast 
upon  the  head  of  the  Pope  like  a  hood,  and  its 
two  ends  crossed  and  carried  to  the  right  and  left 
shoulders,  and  there  retained  until  the  Chasuble 
is  assumed,  when  the  Fanon  is  thrown  back  and 
adjusted  to  the  neck  and  shoulders  of  the  vest- 
ment like  a  tippet. 

As,  however,  it  is  also  the  name  used  for  the 
lappet  of  a  mitre,  and  is  an  old  form  of  amice,  and 
also  the  title  of  the  linen  cloth  for  handling  the 
holy  vessels  and  the  Offertory  bread,  its  origin  is 
difficult  to  trace. 

What  is  the  History  of  the  Ovarium  in  its 
Civic  Relations? 

Originally,  the  word  is  connected  with  os,  the 


The  Stole  459 

mouth,  of  which  or  is  the  real  root-form,  or  in  its 
plural  form,  ora,  the  face.  Then  it  may  be  re- 
garded as  equivalent  to  our  own  "handkerchief." 
It  is  curious  that  the  earliest  reliable  mention  of 
it  does  not  present  it  as  a  handkerchief,  but  as  a 
scarf.  We  first  hear  of  it  in  Trebellius  Pollio,  a 
writer  of  the  fourth  century  and  a  contemporary 
of  Constantine.  He  narrates  how  the  Emperor 
Gallienus(  260-268)  sent  to  Claudius,  his  successor, 
four  Oraria  as  an  imperial  present.  A  few  years 
after,  the  Emperor  Aurelian  (270-275)  was  the 
first  to  distribute  oraria  as  presents  to  the  people, 
to  be  used  by  them  "a&javorem"  that  is  probably 
as  colors  to  be  worn  and  waved  at  the  circus 
when  the  public  games  were  on,  much  in  the 
same  way  as  ribbons  of  various  colors  are  worn 
now  "ad  favorem"  among  ourselves  as  emblems 
of  fraternities  of  rival  schools. 

As  representing  a  period  a  little  later,  we  recog- 
nize in  the  group  of  courtiers  attending  the 
Emperor  sculptured  on  the  arch  of  Constantine  a 
ribbon  or  scarf  distinguishing  some  of  them,  pre- 
senting nearly  the  appearance  of  a  "ribbon"  of 
knighthood,  such  as  is  worn  as  an  honorary  dis- 
tinction in  our  own  day.  This  broad  ribbon  or 
scarf  corresponds  in  general  appearance  to  the 
orarium  on  the  earliest  ecclesiastical  monuments. 

The  orarium  was  also  spread  over  the  head  and 
shoulders  by  women  in  time  of  prayer,  falling 
about  them  like  a  veil. 


460  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

These  facts  create  a  presumption  of  the  adapta- 
tion of  these  oraria,  with  certain  modifications, 
to  Christian  use  of  distinctive  insignia  in  the 
Church  of  what  had  been  previously  used  in  secu- 
lar life  as  marks  of  special  privilege,  or  of  official 
dignity.  The  fact  that  the  date  of  these  adapta- 
tions, both  in  East  and  West,  is  not  earlier  than 
that  "of  the  peace  of  the  Church"  so  called,  in 
the  time  of  Constantine,  adds  considerably  to  the 
probability  of  this  conjecture  because  of  the  more 
fully  developed  organization  which  then  first 
became  possible. 

The  vestment  now  known  in  the  Western 
Church  as  a  "stole"  was  called  orarium  (not  stole) 
till  the  close  of  the  Transition  Period.  The  Greek 
word  Stole  is  never  used  in  the  Latin  sense  of  a 
"stole,"  but  retains  in  ecclesiastical  and  Byzantine 
Greek  its  older  classical  meaning. 

What  is  the  Meaning  of '  'Stole"  according  to 
Classic  Greek? 

In  the  Prophet  Ezekiel  (chap.  XLIV,  v.  19)  we 
read:  "And  when  they  (the  priests)  go  forth  out 
of  the  outer  court  they  shall  put  off  their  gar- 
ments." The  word  "garment"  is  translated  in 
the  Vulgate,  "Stolas"  (stoles) .    It  is  used  either: 

(a)  As  a  generic  term  for  the  entire  vesture 
of  the  priest  considered  as  a  whole;  or 

(6)  Generally  in  the  plural  Stolai,  or  particular 
vestments  spoken  of  as  portions  of  that  whole;  or 

(c)  Of  a  vestment  distinguished  by  beauty  or  rank. 


The  Stole  461 

When  in  the  Western  Church  was  the  Stole 
used  in  the  Technical  Sense  which  it  now  Bears? 

In  the  ninth  century.  By  the  twelfth  century 
the  new  name  had  superseded  the  ancient  one 
very  generally.  The  Roman  Pontifical,  however, 
in  the  ordination  of  a  priest  still  employs  the  two 
terms,  "orarium"  and  "stole"  to  describe  this 
vestment. 

What  Special  Decrees  were  Promulgated  by 
Councils  with  Reference  to  the  Stole? 

To  restrain  a  laxity  in  the  wearing  of  the  stole, 
the  fortieth  act  of  the  Fourth  Council  of  Toledo 
(633)  decreed  that  only  one  orarium  is  to  be 
worn,  and  by  deacons  over  the  left  shoulder. 
This  rule  does  not  seem  to  have  been  observed 
outside  Spain,  for  in  the  Pontifical  of  Landulfus 
(ninth  century)  there  is  a  representation  of  eccles- 
iastics wearing  two  oraria,  one  over  each  shoulder. 

The  second  Council  of  Braga,  in  northern 
Portugal  (563)  decreed  that  "since  in  some 
churches  of  this  province  the  deacons  wear  their 
oraria  hidden  under  the  tunic,  so  that  they  cannot 
be  distinguished  from  the  sub-deacons,  for  the 
future  they  must  be  placed  over  their  shoulders." 

The  fourth  Council  of  Braga  (675)  made  an 
important  decree  regulating  the  wearing  of  the 
orarium  by  priests  which  has  since  been  uni- 
versally followed.  The  vestment  was  to  be  placed 
round  the   neck,  over  each  shoulder,  crossed  in 


462 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


front  and  secured  in  this  position  by  the  girdle. 
Excommunication  is  the  the  penalty  for  any  viola- 
tion of  this  injunction. 

The  Council  of  Mayence  (813)  ordered  that 
priests  should  always  wear  their  or  aria  as  a  "dis- 
tinct symbol  of  sacerdotal  dignity" — a  custom 
which  at  present  is  restricted  to  the  Pope. 

What  Unusual  Ornaments  were  Carried  on 
the  Earlier  Stoles? 

Many  of  the  stoles  and  maniples  of  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  Church  had  little  bells  of  gold  and  silver 
c.ttached  to  them  which  emitted  delicate  music 
when  the  minister  changed  his  position. 

What  is  the  Form  of  the  Stole  in  the  Eastern 

Church? 

It  is  called  Epitra- 
chelion  (worn  upon 
the  neck),  and  instead 
of  being  parted  as 
with  us  to  allow  it  to 
hang  equally  on  both 
sides,  it  is  made  of 
one  piece,  with  a  seam 
down  its  middle,  and 
an  opening  at  the  top 
wide  enough  to  allow 
it  to  be  passed  over 
the  priest's  head.  It 
is  suspended  in  front 
of  the  priest,  reaching  nearly  to  the  instep. 


The  Stole  463 

What  is  the  Symbolic  Meaning  of  the  Stole? 

It  may  be  ascertained  by  the  prayers  uttered  in 
its  investiture.  The  bishop  gives  the  stole  to  the 
newly-ordained  deacon  with  the  words:  "Receive 
this  shining  white  stole  from  the  hand  of  God; 
fulfill  your  ministry;  for  God  is  powerful  to  in- 
crease His  grace  in  you."  When  the  bishop  places 
the  stole  on  the  new  priest  in  the  form  of  a  cross, 
he  says:  "Take  upon  you  the  yoke  of  the  Lord; 
for  His  yoke  is  sweet  and  His  burden  light." 
When  vesting  for  Mass,  the  priest  dons  the  stole 
saying:  "Give  me  anew,  0  Lord,  the  robe  of  im- 
mortality, which  I  have  lost  by  the  prevarication 
of  our  first  parents,  and  although  I  am  unworthy 
to  approach  Thy  holy  Mysteries,  may  I  yet  merit 
eternal  joy." 


CHAPTER  XL. 

THE  CHASUBLE. 


What  is  the  Chasuble? 

It  is  the  outer,  or 
super-vestment  which 
is  last  assumed.  In  its 
present  form  it  is  open 
at  both  sides  and  top, 
and  as  it  is  passed  over 
the  head  to  rest  on  the 
shoulders  it  reaches  to 
the  knees  in  front, 
and  a  few  inches  lower 
behind. 

By  what  Names  is 
it  described? 

(a)  Amphibalus, 
from  the  Greek,  to 
clothe.  This  was  its 
name  in  the  ancient 
Gallican  Liturgy 
which  Charlemagne 
suppressed  at  Papal 
solicitation. 

(6)  Infula  (fillet)  in  many  documents  from  the 
twelfth  to  the  fifteenth  century,  in  Germany, 


■ 


CHASUBLE,   (FRONT). 


The  Chasuble 


465 


England  and  France.  According  to  classical  usage, 
infula  meant  that  long  band  of  linen  or  wool 
which    was  fastened 


.Z3 


about  the  head  of 
pagan  priests,  or  hung 
round  the  neck  or 
body  of  the  victims 
to  be  offered  in  sacri- 
fice. It  was  also  used 
as  the  insignia  of  im- 
perial or  magisterial 
rank  and  had  nearly 
the  meaning  of  an 
"official  vestment," 
the  context  to  deter- 
mine its  special  charac- 
ter. 

(c)  Paenula  (from 
Greek  phainolion,  a 
cloak) . 

(d)  Planeta,  Ital- 
ian Pianeta— from  the  same  root  from  which  our 
planet  is  derived,  viz.,  the  Greek  word  to  "wander," 
because  its  ample  folds  seemed  to  wander  over  the 
body.  This  is  the  popular  title  at  Rome  and  in 
Italy. 

(e)  Casulp,,  a  diminutive  of  casa  (a  hut)  be- 
cause like  a  little  house  it  covered  the  whole  body. 
This  is  the  favorite  name  outside  Italy,  and  hence 


CHASUBLE,   (BACK). 


466  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

in  Spanish  it  is  "Casulla,"  in  French,  "Chasuble," 
in  English,  "Chasuble,"  in  German,  "Casel,"  in 
Flemish,  "Kasuifel." 

The  Roman  Missal  and  the  Ceremonial  of 
Bishops  refer  to  it  as  Planeta;  the  Roman  Ponti- 
fical however  as  Casula  sometimes. 

Among  these  ivhich  is  the  Oldest? 
Paenula. 

What  is  the  Material  of  the  Chasuble? 

Since  Amalarius  of  Metz  speaks  of  the  chasuble 
as  the  "general  garment  of  sacred  leaders,"  its 
prominence  and  dimensions  emphasize  its  import- 
ance in  determining  the  impressiveness  and 
character  of  Mass  vestments  generally.  For  this 
reason,  its  material  and  color  regulate  these  quali- 
ties in  the  remaining  vestments.  The  color  is 
prescribed  by  the  rubrics,  but  the  material  has  a 
wide  range,  such  as  gold  cloth,  brocade,  silk,  wool 
and  linen. 

What  is  the  Origin  of  the  Chasuble? 

The  parent  of  the  chasuble  was  an  outer  gar- 
ment or  storm  cloak  worn  exclusively  by  slaves 
and  peasants  in  the  beginning.  Plautus  (B.  C. 
254)  makes  the  first  mention  of  it  in  the  third 
century  before  Christ  in  the  line: 

"Jamne  abis?  Libertas paenula  esttergo  tuo." 
"Are  you  off  then?     Liberty  is  the  overcoat 
for    your   back." — Mostellaria,   or   the   Haunted 
House.     Act  IV,  scene  3. 


The  Chasuble  467 

It  was  made  of  heavy  woolen  cloth  and  some- 
times of  leather.     Instead  of  being  wrapped  about 

the  body  like  the  early 
toga,  the  head  was 
thrust  through  a  hole 
in  the  middle  of  it, 
and  the  body  was 
snugly  covered  up  as 
under  a  little  cabin 
(casula).  It  was 
similar  to  the  mantles 
worn  by  Alpine  tour- 

FIRST  FORM   OF   CHASUB  LE  jg^     an(J    J-q    ^q     ^q^ 

known  as  "poncho,"  except  that  it  was  longer 
and  furnished  with  a  hood  for  protection 
of  the  head  from  cold  or  wet.  This  primitive 
shape  is  still  retained  in  many  parts  of  the 
East.  In  the  Arabic  version  of  the  Coptic 
Liturgies  it  is  called  albornos  (the  burnous) 
with  which  Eastern  travellers  are  familiar. 
In  width  and  length  we  have  many  varieties 
of  the  ancient  paenula,  ranging  from  the  "fiddle- 
back"  chasuble  of  late  Roman  use  and  the 
Benedictine  scapular,  to  the  full-orbed,  elliptical 
sweep  of  a  later  day.  The  gradual  exaltation  of 
the  paenula  from  the  garb  of  slaves  and  peasants 
to  one  which  senators  and  Emperors  might  wear 
in  travelling  is  attested  by  Roman  literature.  To 
wear  it  as  an  ordinary  dress  in  the  city,  in  Re- 
publican days,  was  regarded  as  a  grave  breach  of 


468  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

etiquette  and  unbecoming  a  gentleman.  As  late 
as  the  second  century  of  our  era  its  plebeian 
associations  forbade  its  use  by  an  Emperor  in  the 
city,  no  matter  the  weather.  In  the  third  century 
a  special  permission  was  given  by  the  Emperor 
Alexander  Severus  to  senators  to  wear  the  paenula 
even  intra  Urbem  (within  the  city). 

The  same  decree  forbade  its  use  by  women 
except  when  on  a  journey.  It  is  not  till  438,  that 
we  find  the  paenula  installed  in  the  place  of  the 
older  toga  as  the  distinctive  garment  of  peaceful 
dignity,  to  be  worn  by  senators  to  the  exclusion 
of  the  warlike  chlamys.  A  peculiar  type  of 
paenula  called  by  Wilpert,  "baroque"  (1905)  is 
seen  in  the  frescoes  of  the  catacombs.  It  is  very 
long  and  full  behind,  but  the  front  part  is  reduced 
to  a  small  triangle  which  barely  covers  the  breast. 
The  same  form  seems  to  have  been  in  use,  at  least 
occasionally,  in  the  eleventh  century  as  demon- 
strated by  a  picture  of  this  date  in  the  lower 
church  of  St.  Clement,  Rome.  The  Roman 
monuments  lead  us  to  suppose  it  was  provided 
with  a  hood  (cucullus)  except  for  those  worn  in 
rainless  Egypt.  Even  after  the  garment  became 
a  liturgical  vestment,  a  vestige  of  the  hood  was 
preserved  in  the  adornment,  just  as  it  is  on  the 
cope. 

It  was  always  dark  in  color,  usually  a  chestnut 
brown,  and  in  Egypt,  brown  or  purple,  solid 
throughout,  without  ornament,  though  the  nar- 


'J 

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C 

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C/7 

C/> 

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C/J 

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oc  2 


470  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

row  rectangular  form   was  occasionally  adorned 
with  the  clavus. 

Mention  Some  Examples  of  its  Use  in  the 
Early  Church? 

Many  commentators  suppose  the  cloak  left  by 
St.  Paul  at  Troas  with  Carpus,  which  Timothy 
was  to  bring  to  Rome  was  a  paenula  (2  Tim.  IV. 
13) .  The  mosaics  of  the  catacombs,  the  mosaic 
portrait  of  St.  Ambrose  and  the  testimony  of 
Sulpicius  Severus  (Dialog  2.  1)  in  reference  to  St. 
Martin  of  Tours  (397)  that  he  was  accustomed 
to  celebrate  the  Eucharist  in  a  tunic  and  amphi- 
balus  are  decisive  proofs  of  the  broad,  round 
paenula. 

Are  the  Three  Names,  Casula,  Paenula  and 
Planeta  Identical? 

There  is  a  strong  probability  that  in  form  they 
were  substantially  the  same.  In  the  sixth  and 
seventh  centuries,  however,  a  custom  prevailed  of 
distinguishing  the  casula  as  the  humbler,  simpler 
dress  proper  to  poor  men  and  monks,  and  the 
Planeta  as  the  handsomer  and  more  costly  habit 
worn  in  ordinary  life  at  Rome  alike  by  senators 
and  Popes,  and  in  Spain,  if  not  elsewhere,  as  the 
distinctive  vestments  of  bishops  and  priests.  The 
mosaic  of  St.  Gregory  and  his  father  Gordianus, 
a  Roman  senator,  represents  them  as  wearing  the 
Planeta. 


The  Chasuble 


471 


Where  is  the  First  Mention  of  the  Planeta 
as  a  Sacred  Vestment? 

In  the  Acts  of  the  Council  of  Toledo  (633).  Even 
then  it  is  spoken  of  not  as  an  innovation  or  new 
garment,  but  as  the  recognized  habit  of  bishops 
and  priests.  St,  Isidore  who  presided  at  that 
Council  thus  describes  it: 

"The  Casula  is  a  gar- 
ment provided  with  a  cowl, 
the  name  being  a  diminu- 
tive from  casa,  a  house, 
because  like  a  little  house 
it  covers  the  whole  man. 
In  like  manner  people  say 
that  in  Greek  Planetae 
are  so  called  because  the 
border  of  the  planeta 
"wanders"  in  vague  lines 
about  the  body.  For  which 
cause  some  stars  are  called  "planetae"  as  implying 
that  their  movement  is  erratic  and  divergent." 

What  is  the  Liturgical  Usage  for  the  Triple 
Name  of  this  Vestment? 

There  is  no  evidence  to  show  that  a  vestment 
of  Christian  ministry  was  ever  called  paenula  in 
the  Latin  churches,  nor  casula  before  the  ninth 
century.  Planeta  was  the  name  given  to  the 
super-vestment  of  the  priesthood  until  the  end  of 
the  eighth  century. 


ANCIENT  CHASUBLE 

CHASUBLE  OF  13-15TH 
CENTURY 


472 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


When  did  the  Planeta  h  come  a  Liturgical 
Vestment? 

In  the  fifth  century.  Until  the  eighth  century 
it  was  worn  in  common  by  those  in  Minor  Orders. 
Subsequent  to  that  time  it  became  the  exclusive 
vestment  of  bishops  and  priests  in  the  celebration 
of  Mass,  and  also  of  deacons  and  sub-deacons  with 
certain  modifications.  For  example,  the  deacon 
and  sub-deacon  in  High  Mass  during  Advent  and 
Lent  wear  chasubles  folded  in  front,  laying  them 
aside  during  the  chanting  of  the  Gospel  and 
Epistle — a  custom  mentioned  by  Hugo  St.  Victor 
(1140). 

How  Long  did  it  Retain  its  Original  Form? 

Until  the  fifteenth  century. 

Why  was  its  Primitive  Form  Changed? 

Because  of  the  diffi- 
culty of  providing  a 
pliant,  suitable  mater- 
ial,especially  in  the  six- 
teenth century.  The 
introduction  of  the 
stiff,  board-like  cloth 
would  have  seriously 
encumbered  the  cele- 
brant if  the  ancient 
shape  had  been  ad- 
hered to.  To  facilitate 
his  movements  a  slit 


CHASUBLE   OF 

ST.   THOMAS  OF  CANTERBURY, 

TWELFTH  CENTURA 


The  Chasuble 


473 


was  cut  in  both  sides,  and  thus  the  first  step  was 
taken  in  the  development  of  the  modern  chasuble. 

Another  reason  was  the  inconvenience  of  cele- 
brating Mass  with  the  old-style  chasuble  without 
the  aid  of  a  deacon  and  sub-deacon,  as  in  many 
parts  of  the  service  it  was  necessary  to  fold  and 
lift  it  up.  As  assistant  ministers  were  not  always 
at  hand,  and  as  private  Masses  became  more 
frequent,  a  form  of  chasuble  easily  controlled  by 
the  priest  became  indispensable. 

The  only  trace  of 
the  ancient  chasu- 
ble now  existing  is 
discernible  in  a  bis-    !,'  < 
hop's  Mass,  for  the     •;  ' 
maniple  is  not  as- 
sumed   until  after 
the  "Conflteor,"  be- 
cause it  was   then 
the  assistants  gath- 
ered up  and  arrang- 
ed the  borders  of  the 
encircling  chasuble 
upon  the  arms  preparatory  to  the  bishop's  ascend- 
ing the  steps  of  the  altar. 

Where  is  the  Original  Form  of  the  Primitive 
Chasuble  still  Retained? 
In  the  Greek  Church, 


HALF    ANTIQUE   CHASUBLE 
FIFTEENTH   CENTURY 


474 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


(.REKK    VESTMENTS 


What  are  the  Prevailing  Styles  of  Chasuble 

in  the  Latin  Church? 

The  Gothic,  the  Roman,  the  Gallican  or  French, 

the   chasuhle   of   St.    Charles    Borromeo,    which 

approximated  the 
Gothic,  and  the 
chasuble  of  Gavan- 
tus  the  famous  lit- 
urgist  of  the  seven- 
teenth century. 

How  do  these 
Chas  i  ( bles  differ  ? 

In  form  there  is  a 
general  conformity, 
and  in  dimensions 
there  is  a  varying 
curtailment. 


ItF.RNARDINE   CHASUBLE 


The  Chasuble  475 

What  is  the  present  status  of  the  Gothic 
Chasuble  as  a  Liturgic  Vestment? 

About  1850  there  was  a  revival  of  the  early 
Gothic,  or  pointed  vestment  accompanying  a  re- 
newal of  interest  in  Gothic  architecture  in  Eng- 
land, France,  Germany  and  Belgium,  as  a  protest 
against  the  inartistic  abridgment  of  the  chasuble, 
and  the  question  of  its  legitimacy  was  referred  to 
the  Sacred  Congregation  of  Rites,  who  in  turn 
assigned  the  whole  subject  to  John  Corazza,  the 
Master  of  Apostolic  Ceremonies,  for  final  judg- 
ment.    His  decision  was: 

(1)  That  the  Gothic  chasuble  was  improper 
and  must  be  discontinued. 

(2)  That  all  chasubles  must  conform  to  the 
Roman  pattern. 

This  verdict  was  given  in  1859,  and  it  was  not 
recorded  till  1888.  Meanwhile,  in  1863,  Cardinal 
Patrizi,  the  Prefect  of  the  Congregation,  on  in- 
formation that  the  decision  was  unacceptable  to 
many  bishops,  because  the  Gothic  chasuble  had 
been  a  favorite  vestment  for  many  centuries, 
sent  a  letter  to  the  Cardinal  archbishop  of 
Mechlin  in  which  the  verdict  of  1859  was  held  in 
abeyance,  and  the  bishops  were  invited  to  com- 
municate to  Rome  the  reasons  for  the  introduction 
of  the  Gothic  chasuble  in  their  respective  dioceses. 
There  the  matter  rests.  The  reasons  were  not 
forthcoming,  and  according  to  Vander   Stappen, 


476 


The  Mass  and  Vestment? 


whilst  the  decision  of  Corazza  fixes  the  norma  of 
the  chasuble,  it  is  not  definitive,  and  the  way  is 
still  open  for  perhaps  a  favorable  sentence  for  the 
Gothic  type  according  to  the  Borromean  and 
Gavantus  pattern  still  worn  in  many  churches. 


CHASUBLE   Of 
ST.   CHARLES   B  JRROMEO 


CHASUBLR  OF   GAVANTUS 


By  a  decree  of  August  23,  1889,  prescribing 
the  form  of  chasuble  to  be  worn  by  missionaries 
of  the  Latin  rite  in  the  East,  the  Gothic  chasuble 
was  interdicted,  which  is  interpreted  as  applicable 
only  to  the  ample  chasuble  of  the  Greeks. 

WJiy  are  Folded  Chasubles  Rather  than 
Dalmatics  Worn  by  Deacon  and  Sub-deacon  in 
Penitential.  Seasons  ? 

(a)  Because  the  dalmatic  was  regarded  from 
the  earliest  age  as  a  festal  garment,  and,  therefore, 
unsuited  for  a  function  in  which  the  note  of 
penance  predominated. 

(6)  The  dalmatic  originated  in  the  middle  of 
the  fourth  century  and  was  localized  at  Rome. 


The  Chasuble  477 

It  had  reached  Milan  and  Aries  in  the  fifth  cen- 
tury and  the  Universal  Church  only  in  the  ninth. 
This  would  leave  a  wide  margin  of  antiquity  de- 
void of  it.  Its  place  in  those  years  was  filled  by 
the  chasuble  worn  alike  by  all  ranks  of  the 
clergy.  The  use  of  the  chasuble  as  a  substitute 
is  an  echo  of  that  time — a  form  of  reminiscence 
cherished  by  the  Church.  The  temporary  folds 
or  plaits  in  front  suggest  the  primitive  all-encom- 
passing planeta  which  required  to  be  gathered 
back  to  leave  the  arms  unimpeded.  The  present 
form  of  chasuble  does  not  call  for  this  treatment, 
but  the  object  of  it  is  rather  reminiscent  than 
practical.  Likewise  the  deacon's  assumption  of 
the  broad  stole  (stolone)  in  the  active  functions 
of  the  service  bespeaks  the  chasuble  rolled  up  and 
hung  over  his  shoulder  like  a  soldier's  great  coat, 
and  also  the  impeding  inconvenience  of  the  early 
chasuble. 

(c)  The  custom  of  discarding  the  dalmatic  on 
penitential  days  began  in  Rome,  and  by  the 
twelfth  century  the  custom  was  universal.  On 
such  days  the  deacon  either  had  no  vestment  over 
the  alb,  or  put  on  instead  the  so-called  planeta 
plicata  (folded  chasuble)  of  a  dark  hue.  The 
only  exception  was  Maundy  Thursday  when 
festal  vestments  were  worn.  In  early  times  the 
dalmatic  was  rarely  worn  at  requiem  Masses,  and 
it  is  only  since  the  end  of  the  Middle  Ages  its  use 
has  become  general  in  solemn  Masses  for  the  dead. 


478 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


Within  Advent  and  Lent  the  usage  now  demands 
either  the  folded  chasuble  for  deacon  and  sub- 
deacon  or  the  alb  without  dalmatic. 

What  is  the  Symbolic  Significancy  of  the 
Chasuble? 

It  is  an  emblem  of  charity  which  clothes  the 
soul  as  the  vestment  envelops  the  body.  In  assum- 
ing the  chasuble  the  celebrant  says:  "0  Lord, 
who  hast  said:  'My  yoke  is  sweet  and  my  burden 
light/  grant  that  I  may  so  carry  it  as  to  merit 
Thy  grace." 


RUSSIAN   GREEK    VESTMENTS 


CHAPTER  XLI. 

COLOR   OF   VESTMENTS. 

What  was  the  Original  Color  of  Vestments? 

In  the  oldest  representations  of  ecclesiastics,  to 
which  we  have  access,  their  vestments  were  pure 
white  ornamented  with  clavi  (stripes);  these 
were  generally  black,  though  St.  Isidore  refers  to 
purple  clavi.  Previous  to  the  tenth  century, 
colored  vestments  are  discernible  in  mosaics  and 
fresco-paintings,  but  the  combination  of  colors 
is  so  peculiar  as  to  suggest  a  color-effect  of 
artists  to  distinguish  the  various  vestments  from 
the  background,  and  from  each  other.  Benedict 
XIV,  however,  whilst  affirming  that  vestments 
were  white  down  to  the  beginning  of  the  fourth 
century,  also  says  that  in  that  and  succeeding 
centuries  the  practice  developed  of  using  a  di- 
versity of  colors,  as  is  demonstrated  in  monuments 
earlier  than  the  seventh  century. 

\fyho  First  Mentions  Colored  Vestment*? 
Pope  Innocent  III  in  the  thirteenth  century. 

How  many  Colors  were  in  Vogue  in  his 
Day? 

Four:  White,  red,  black  and  green.  Violet  is 
omitted,  but  must  have  been  introduced  soon  after, 
as  Durandus  (1280)  makes  special  mention  of  it. 


t8<  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

How  many  Color*  are  Prescribed  Now' 
Five:     White,  red,  green,  violet  and  black. 

Are  there  any  Supplementary  Color*' 

Rose-colored  vestments  are  permitted  on  the 
third  Sunday  of  Advent  and  the  fourth  of  Lent, 
because  then  the  prevailing  penitential  supplica- 
tion of  chant  and  prayer  in  the  Liturgy  is  relaxed 
and  a  more  joyous  tone  assumed. 

Blue  vestments  by  special  Papal  grant  are  al- 
lowed in  the  dioceses  of  Spain  on  the  feast  and 
during  the  octave  of  the  Immaculate  Conception, 
and  on  all  Saturdays  when  a  votive  Mass  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin  is  permitted.  On  all  those  days 
the  use  of  the  blue  vestments  is  of  obligation.  In 
all  other  countries,  they  are  absolutely  forbidden, 
and  to  emphasize  this  prohibition,  the  decree 
granting  the  privilege  to  Spain  is  expunged  from 
the  recent  edition  of  Decrees,  not  because  the 
Spanish  privilege  is  revoked,  but  to  offset  and 
frustrate  the  hope  of  obtaining  a  similar  permis- 
sion for  any  other  local  diocese. 

Yellow  vestments,  as  a  rule,  are  forbidden 
whether  of  silk,  brocade,  wool  or  linen. 

By  a  decree,  however,  of  December  6,  1868, 
vestments  of  gold  cloth  are  allowed  and  may  be 
substituted  for  all  other  colors,  except  violet  and 
black.  This  concession  also  applies  to  a  yellow 
vestment  partly  woven  of  gold  thread,  but  does 
not  include  the  gold  imitation. 


Color  of  Vestments  481 

What  is  the  Prescribed  Color  oj  the  Amice, 
Alb  and  Cincture? 

White  for  the  amice  and  alb.  The  cincture 
may  conform  to  the  color  of  the  vestments. 

What  is  the  Obligation  of  the  Rubric  Relatm 
to  the  Color  of  Vestments? 

It  is  a  precept  of  grave  obligation.  Rubricists 
agree,  however,  that  prescinding  scandal,  there 
may  exist  circumstances  where  the  rubric  would 
not  be  compelling,  as  for  example,  the  poverty  of 
a  church,  and  so  great  a  demand  made  by  officiat- 
ing priests  as  to  exhaust  the  appropriate  colors. 

What  is  the  Symbolism  of  Vestment  Colors? 

White  signifies  purity  and  innocency  of  life— 
also  glory  and  joy. 

Red  typifies  fervor  of  spirit  and  charity, 
because  the  Holy  Ghost  descended  upon  the 
Apostles  in  fiery  tongues — also  blood  shed  for 
charity  and  faith. 

Green  bespeaks  hope.  As  pilgrims  and  soldiers 
we  walk  through  a  weary  life,  struggling  as  we 
walk,  and  we  should  not  faint  on  the  way  because 
we  are  sustained  by  Our  Lord,  who  in  person  hath 
visited  us,  and  by  the  grace  of  His  Holy  Spirit, 
and,  therefore,  like  the  living  branch  whose 
life  is  renewed,  we  should  journey  with  an  inde- 
structible hope  toward  our  true  country.  Because 
green  holds  a  mid-place  between  white,  black  and 


482  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

red,  it  is  used  when  there  is  neither  special  joy- 
ousness,  nor  penitential  lowliness,  nor  the  pro- 
found sorrow  of  death. 

Violet  symbolizes  the  crucifixion  and  chastening 
of  the  body,  and  is  used  when  the  dominant  note 
is  that  of  penance  and  fast,  and  to  denote  sorrow 
for  sin  and  hope  of  pardon. 

Black  represents  death  which  robs  us  of  the 
light  of  life  and  consigns  us  to  the  darkness  of  the 
grave.  Its  use  voices  our  grief  at  the  death  of  our 
Redeemer  on  Good  Friday,  and  of  His  creatures 
whilst  they  are  detained  in  Purgatory. 

When  are  these  various  Colors  Used? 

White  from  the  Nativity  to  the  octave  of 
Epiphany  and  from  Holy  Saturday  to  the  vigil  of 
Pentecost,  in  the  Office  and  Feast  of  the  Blessed 
Sacrament,  in  the  Mass  of  Holy  Saturday,  on  all 
feasts  of  Our  Blessed  Lord,  except  Good  Friday, 
of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  of  the  Angels,  of  the 
Nativity  of  John  the  Baptist,  of  Pontiffs,  Con- 
fessors, Doctors,  Virgins  who  are  not  martyrs, 
holy  women  who  are  neither  virgins  nor  martyrs 
and  on  the  feast  of  All  Saints. 

As  exceptions  to  the  general  use  of  white,  it  is 
also  the  rubrical  color  on  the  feast  of  the  Chair  of 
St.  Peter,  at  Rome,  January  18,  of  the  Chair  of  St. 
Peter  at  Antioch,  January  22,  St.  Peter  in  Chains, 
August  1,  Conversion  of  St.  Paul,  January  25,  St. 
John,  Apostle   and  Evangelist,  December  27,  al- 


Color  of  Vestments  483 

though  red  is  prescribed  for  the  feast  of  St.  John 
before  the  Latin  Gate,  May  6. 

Red  on  feasts  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  of  Apostles, 
martyrs,  male  or  female,  the  Beheading  of  John 
the  Baptist,  and  on  the  day  of  the  octave  of  the 
Holy  Innocents. 

Violet  in  Advent,  from  Septuagesima  Sunday 
through  Lent,  until  the  Office  of  Holy  Saturday 
before  the  Mass,  and  on  the  feast  of  the  Holy 
Innocents,  when  it  does  not  fall  on  Sunday. 

Green  on  the  Sundays  from  the  octave  of 
Epiphany  to  Septuagesima,  and  from  the  octave 
of  Pentecost  to  Advent,  when  a  feast  of  a  higher 
rank  of  another  color  does  not  intervene. 

Black  on  Good  Friday,  and  in  all  the  Offices  and 
Masses  for  the  dead. 


CHAPTER  XLII. 

SUPPLEMENTARY   VESTMENTS. 
PAPAL. 

When  the  Pope  officiates  solemnly,  besides  the 
Episcopal  and  Archiepiscopal  vestments,  he  wears 
the  Succinctorium,  a  maniple-shaped  garment 
worn  on  his  left  side,  and  the  fanone,  a  striped 
silk  tippet. 

He  is  attended  by  a  Greek  and  Latin  deacon  and 
sub-deacon,  and  the  Epistle  and  Gospel  are  sung 
in  Latin  and  Greek.  As  he  proceeds  to  the  altar 
he  is  met  by  the  three  youngest  Cardinal  priests, 
whom  he  embraces  in  memory  of  Christ's  first 
interview  with  His  disciples  after  the  Resurrection. 
He  receives  of  the  chalice  through  a  golden  tube, 
as  also  the  deacon  and  sub-deacon  from  the  same 
chalice,  the  deacon  standing  and  through  the  tube, 
the  sub-deacon  kneeling  and  from  the  chalice 
direct.  The  sub-deacon  then  purifies  the  chalice 
and  the  tube,  and  in  the  meantime  the  Pope  re- 
ceives the  ablutions  in  another  chalice  offered  him 
by  the  senior  Cardinal  priest,  finishes  the  Mass, 
venerates  the  relics,  and  in  the  Papal  days  blessed 
the  people  assembled  in  the  great  square  of  St. 
Peter's. 

The  tube  was  an  ordinary  accompaniment  of 
the  chalice  when  the  laity   received  Communion 


S I  PPLEMENTARY   VESTMENTS 


485 


^f 


under  both  species  to  prevent  even  accidental  ir- 
reverence. It  was  called  tube,  calamus,  fistula, 
canna,  virgula,  siphon  and  pugillaris. 

The  Tiara— thus 
named   in   French, 
Italian,  Latin    and 
Greek   as   designa- 
ting a  Persian  head- 
dress — is  the  triple 
Papal  crown  worn 
for  the   first   time 
by  the  Popes  dur- 
ing their  residence 
at  Avignon.     The 
monument  of  Bene- 
dict   XII    (1334- 
1342)    in   the   Ca- 
thedral of  Avignon 
represents  the  Pope 
with  a  tiara  or  triple 
crown  and  this  is  its  earliest  appearance.     It  is  a 
three-fold   crown   because   it  bears   an    historic, 
mystic  and  doctrinal  significancy.     The  Popes  in 
exile  at  Avignon  emphasized  by  the  tiara   their 
sovereignty  as  supreme  pontiffs,  kings  of  Rome 
and  bestowers  of  the  imperial  dignity. 

Sirleti  says  it  is  a  memorial  of  the  crowns  given 
the  Roman  Pontiffs  by  Constantine,  Clovis  and 
Charlemagne.      John   XXII   interprets  it  as  ex- 


TIARA    AND    PAPAL   COAT-OF  ARMS' 


486  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

hibiting  the  power  of  the  Popes  over  the  Church 
militant,  suffering  and  triumphant.  Theologians 
define  it  as  a  symbol  of  three-fold  authority, 
doctrinal,  sacramental  and  pastoral,  or  the  Papal 
power  as  derived  from  a  triple  source,  knowledge, 
authority  and  influence. 

Others  explain  it  as  symbolic  of  the  triple  mis- 
sion of  Christ:  Prophet,  Priest  and  Pastor.  The 
tiara  is  worn  in  processions,  but  always  gives  place 
to  the  mitre  in  functions  purely  spintual. 

CARDINALITIAL. 

The  most  conspicuous  among  the  cardinal's 
insignia  is  the  red  hat — a  broad-brimmed,  low- 
crowned  hat,  the  peculiar  appanage  of  the  cardi- 
nalate  as  a  crown  is  of  royalty.  Its  purpose  is 
typical  and  suggestive  rather  than  practical.  It  is 
never  donned  save  at  the  moment  of  investiture. 
After  death  it  is  suspended  over  the  tomb  as  that 
of  Richelieu  in  the  Sorbonne,  Paris,  or  in  the  titu- 
lar church  of  the  cardinal.  A  survey  of  the  ceil- 
ing of  these  churches  will  bring  into  view  high  in 
air  the  dust-covered  and  once  coveted  red  hat  of 
its  departed  wearer. 

It  was  first  worn  by  the  cardinal  envoys  of  the 
Pope.  It  was  granted  to  the  secular  cardinals  by 
Innocent  IV,  at  the  Synod  of  Lyons  in  1245,  and 
to  the  cardinals  of  religious  Orders  by  Gregory 
XIV  in  1591.  These  latter  wear  beside  the  dis- 
tinctive habit  of  their  Order. 


Supplementary  Vestments  487 

The  red  (scarlet)  biretta  probably  granted  by 
Paul  II  (1464-1471)  is  the  ordinary  head  dress  of 
the  cardinals.  Boniface  VIII  (1294-1303)  gave 
them  the  right  to  wear  scarlet,  particularly  a 
scarlet  mantle.  They  also  wear  a  ring  with  a 
sapphire  stone  in  their  own  titular  church,  the 
mitre  of  damask  silk,  crosier  and  pectoral  cross. 
A  baldachino  covers  the  cardinalitial  throne.  By 
a  decree  of  May  14,  1905,  Pius  X  permitted  cardi- 
nal priests  and  cardinal  deacons  to  wear  every- 
where the  pectoral  cross,  even  in  presence  of  the 
Pope. 

During  the  vacancy  of  the  Apostolic  See,  the 
color  of  the  cardinal's  dress  is  saffron. 

ARCHIEPISCOPAL. 

Pallium . 

The  early  history  of  the  Pallium  is  involved  in 
deep  obscurity.  There  is  a  wide  divergence  be- 
tween its  classical  and  ecclesiastical  significancy. 
Whilst  the  toga  was  the  badge  of  Roman  citizen- 
ship, the  pallium  was  at  first  a  distinctive  Greek 
mantle,  which  afterwards  evolved  into  a  garment 
representing  the  cosmopolitan  aspect  of  the 
Empire.  It  was  ordinarily  worn  over  the  tunic, 
but  the  philosophers,  to  emphasize  the  simplicity 
of  their  lives,  wore  it  without  a  tunic,  leaving  the 
right  shoulder  bare.  It  was  so  worn  by  Justin 
Martyr  and  many  of  the  early  Christian  teachers. 
Tradition  also  affirms  that  it  was  the  dress  of 


488  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

Christ  and  the  Apostles  which  explains  the  Chris- 
tian preference  for  it.  A  suggestion  of  its  import- 
ance is  indicated  by  Tertullian's  remarkable  trac- 
tate, De  Pallio,  and  also  by  the  fact,  that  whilst 
the  toga  is  only  once  represented  in  the  pictures 
of  the  catacombs,  the  pallium  appears  very 
frequently  between  the  second  and  the  fourth 
century,  and  even  long  after  it  had  ceased  to  be 
used  actually  in  common  life. 

Like  the  toga  it  was  a  woolen  garment,  usually 
white  and  without  decorations,  except  at  the  four 
corners  which  were  ornamented  with  tapestry 
designs. 

It  was  merely  a  rectangular  piece  of  cloth,  three 
times  as  long  as  broad,  and  wrapped  about  the 
body  in  this  fashion:  One-third  hung  down  in 
front  over  the  left  shoulder  to  the  knee  and 
enveloped  the  upper  arm;  the  remaining  two- 
thirds  was  drawn  across  the  back,  under  the  right 
arm  and  across  the  front,  covering  the  whole  body 
to  the  ankles,  and  again  thrown  over  the  left 
shoulder  where  it  was  fastened  with  a  pin  or 
simply  thrown  over  the  left  fore-arm. 

Of  this  classical  use  and  material  of  the  pallium 
there  is  neither  controversy  nor  uncertainty.  The 
difficulty  begins  with  the  effort  to  trace  the  origin 
of  the  ecclesiastical  pallium.  Between  the  ancient 
Greek  pallium  and  the  collar  worn  by  Roman 
archbishops   there  would  seem  to  be  nothing  in 


Supplementary  Vestments         489 

common  but  the  name,  And  yet  the  kinship  of 
a  name  may  suggest  a  substantial  agreement 
between  them. 

Dr.  Rock  is  of  the  opinion  that  the  original 
pallium  was  only  a  shrinkage  of  the  Roman  toga 
"dwindling  down  to  a  mere  broad  band,"  folded 
in  the  same  fashion.  Macalister  believes  it  was  a 
modification  of  the  Orarium  or  stole,  and  seeks  its 
origin  in  the  honorable  orarium  distributed  as 
"favors"  to  the  Roman  people.  Addis  and  Arnold 
in  the  Catholic  Dictionary  conjecture  that  as  the 
garment  was  tucked  around  the  neck  in  running 
or  other  violent  exercise,  this  suggested  its  present 
liturgic  form.  Wilpert  after  a  close  study  of  the 
frescoes  of  the  catacombs  concludes  there  was, 
beside  the  garment,  also  a  pallium-scarf  which 
developed  into  the  ecclesiastical  pallium,  and  the  evi- 
dence he  adduces  in  confirmation  of  this  theory  is 
conclusive  enough  to  create  a  strong  presumption 
of  its  truth. 

The  archiepiscopal  pallium  is  a  band  of  white 
wool  worn  on  the  shoulders.  Its  earliest  form  is 
shown  in  the  Ravenna  mosaics— that  of  a  narrow 
slip  of  cloth  passed  over  the  left  shoulder,  looped 
loosely  around  the  neck,  and  then  passed  over  the 
left  shoulder  again  so  that  the  two  ends  hang 
free,  one  in  front,  the  other  behind.  Its  next 
evolution  was  to  bring  the  free  end  to  the  middle, 
and  knotting  it  into  the  lowest  point  of  the  loop. 
The  final  form  is  that  of  an  oval,  with  a  long  tail 


490 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


ANCIENT   FRESCO   OK  ST.    CLEMENT   AT  THE    ALTAR. 

FROM    THE   SUBTERRANEAN    CHURCH   OF   ST     CLEMENTE,    ROME. 

ILLUSTRATING   THE   PALLIUM, 

ELEVENTH   CENTURY 


pendent  representing  a  capital  Y  on  the  front  and 
back,  and  four  black  crosses  worked  on  the  oval 
and  one  on  each  pendant. 

It  is  worn  by  the  Pope  and  sent  by  him  to 
patriarchs,  primates,  archbishops  and  sometimes  to 
bishops  as  a  token  that  they  possess  the  "fullness 
of  the  Episcopal  office."  The  bishoprics  which 
possess  this  unique  privilege  as  a  symbol  of  honor, 
but  not  jurisdiction,  are  Autun,  Bamberg,  Dol, 
Lucca,  Ostia,  Pavia  and  Verona. 

The  first  certain  example  of  this  concession  of 
a  pallium  is  the  grant  made  to  St.  Caesarius  of 
Aries  by  Pope  Symmachus  in  513. 


Supplementary  Vestments 


m 


/ 


ANCIENT    FRESCO  IN   S.    MARIA    IN   TRASTEYKRE.    ROME. 
ILLUSTRATING  THE   PALLIUM, 
ANNO  1130. 


On  the  morning  of  St.  Agnes'  day  (January 21) 
in  each  year,  two  lambs  are  brought  to  this  Saint's 
church  by  the  Apostolic  sub-deacons  and  delivered 
over  to  the  canons  of  St.  John  Lateran.  They  in 
turn  consign  them  to  the  charge  of  the  nuns  of 
Torre  de  Specchi,  where  they  are  kept  and  fed. 
When  they  are  shorn,  the  wool  is  woven  by  the 
nuns  into  pallia.  On  the  eve  of  the  feast  of  SS. 
Peter  and  Paul,  they  are  taken  to  St.  Peter's 
church  and  there  blessed,  and  placed  by  the  sub- 
deacons  on  the  tomb  of  St.  Peter,  where  they  re- 
main over  night.  They  are  then  enclosed  in  a 
silver-gilt  box  to  await  bestowal  on  a  new  arch- 
bishop as  coming  from  the  tomb  of  the  Apostle. 


vr_ 


The  Mass  and  Vestment.- 


EPISCOPAL. 


MITRE.  FOURTEENTH  CENTURY 


hood.     A  band   {injula 


Mitre. 

The  mitre  is  the  headdress  worn  by  bishops, 
abbots  and  by  special  distinguished  ecclesiastics, 

like  protonotaries  Apos- 
tolic and,  in  Spain,  by 
the  queen's  confessors 
and  the  canons  of  cer- 
tain churches.  The name 
is  derived  from  the 
Greek,  Mitros{ a  thread). 
A  headgear  of  some  sort 
was  the  distinguishing 
feature  of  the  priest- 
was  worn  by  heathen 
priests,  and  the  Jewish  priests  wore  a  cap  or  tur- 
ban which  the  Septuagint  translates  by  Mitra 
(mitre)  for  the  cap  of  the  high  priest,  and,  again, 
Kidaris  is  applied  to  the  head-covering  of  the 
priests  of  the  second  order.  The  Vulgate  follows 
the  Septuagint,  sometimes  using  mitra,  some- 
times kidaris,  and  occasionally  tiara. 

Menard  after  a  careful  research  into  the  ancient 
Liturgies  concludes  that  the  mitre  was  not  in  use 
prior  to  the  year  1000.  Contemporary  art  bears 
out  this  statement,  and  Hefele  concurs  by  writing: 
"It  is  not  till  the  eleventh  century  that  representa- 
tions of  Popes,  bishops  and  abbots  with  the  mitre 
occur;  though  from  that  time  onwards  they  are 


Supplementary  Vestments 


493 


very  numerous."     An  illuminated  picture  of  St. 
Dunstan  in  a  MS.  preserved  in  the  British  museum 


JEWISH   HIGH    PRIEST 


I.EVITICAL   PRIEST  OF   THE 
SECOND  ORDER 


is  the  earliest  representation  of  a  bishop's  head- 
dress of  any  liturgic  value,  and  this  is  of  the 
early  years  of  the  eleventh  century.  It  shows  a 
simple,  cloth  cap,  low  and  hemispherical,  without 
any  trace  of  the  mitral  cleft,  kept  in  position  by 
two  ribbons  which  were  knotted  at  the  back  of 
the  head.  The  first  grant  of  the  Roman  mitre 
was  from  Leo  IX  to  the  archbishop  of  Treves  in 
1049,  and  according  to  Gavantus  the  first  to  an 
abbot  was  by  the  crusading  Pope,  Urban  II  in  1091. 


494 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


When  the  art  works  of  the  thirteenth  century 
represent  for  the  first  time  the  straight  lines  and 
sharp  point  familiar  in  the  Gothic  mitre,  and  those 
of  the  fourteenth,  the  Italian  mitre  with  its 
greater  height  and  curved  lines,  the  ribbons  of  the 
primitive  mitre  had  lost  their  usefulness  and  be- 
come mere  ornaments,  and  these  infulse  or  lappets 
were  enriched  with  the  best  needlework  of  the 
embroiderer.  Plain  wThite  linen  was  the  original 
material  of  the  mitre  until  the  twelfth  century,  to 
be  superseded  by  silk  and  elaborate  decoration  in 
the  thirteenth. 

Unlike  other  vestments  which  are  classified  by 
their  predominant  colors,  mitres  are  catalogued  by 
the  manner  of  their  ornamentation.     The  mitre 


SEMI-PRECIOUS    MITRE 


SIMPLE    MITRE  PRECIOUS   MITRE 


Supplementary  Vestments 


495 


made  of  white  linen  or  silk,  with  little  or  no  en- 
richment is  a  mitra  simplex  (simple  mitre);  one 
ornamented  richly  with  embroidery,  but  without 
precious  metals  or  stones  is  called  a  mitra  auri- 
frigiata  (faint  or  languid  of  gold ) ,  and  one  in  which 
precious  metals  or  stones  are  employed  in  its 
decoration,  a  mitra  pretiosa  (precious  mitre). 
The  Ceremonial  of  Bishops  appoints  the  times 
when  these  different  mitres  are  to  be  worn. 


EPISCOPAL   SKULLCAP 


Zucchetto. 

It  is  derived  from  the  Italian  zuccha  (a  gourd) 
and  is  a  closely-fitting  skull-cap, 
saucer-shaped,  in  color  red, 
violet  or  black,  suitable  to  the 
rank  of  the  wearer.  Originally 
introduced  to  protect  the  crown 
of  the  head  bared  by  the  tonsure,  it  is  now  worn 
oblivious  of  that  need.  It  is  called  also  Calotte 
(shell),  Pileolus  (small  cap),  Birretino  (Biretta), 
and  Submitrale,  because  worn  under  the  bishop's 
mitre. 

Unlike  the  Biretta,  or  ordinary  head-covering, 
the  zucchetto  may,  by  per- 
mission, be  worn  from  the 
beginning  of  the  Mass  to  the 


Preface,  exclusive,  and  from 
the  Communion  to  the  end — 
never,  however,  during  the 
Canon.  It  is  red  for  cardinals, 


EPISCOPAL    BIRETTA 


496  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

purple  for  patriarchs,  archbishops  and  bishops, 
and  black  for  priests.  The  privilege  of  wearing  a 
purple  zucchetto  was  not  shared  by  bishops  until 
June,  1867,  when  it  was  granted  by  Pius  IX. 

Pectoral  Cross. 

The  pectoral  cross  is  a  small  cross  of  precious 
metal  worn  on  the  breast  by  bishops,  abbots  and 
specially  designated  canons  and 
prelates.  As  an  official  ornament 
it  is  comparatively  of  late  intro- 
duction. It  first  appears  in  the 
writings  of  Innocent  III  (1161- 
1216)  and  Durandus,  and  seems 
to  have  been  then  exclusively  a 
papal  possession.  Dr.  Rock  has 
been  unable  to  find  any  trace  of 
the  pectoral  cross  appearing  on 
the  breast  of  an  ordinary  bishop 
before  the  sixteenth  century.  Some  writers  are  of 
opinion  that  the  pectoral  cross  was  originally  a 
reliquary,  and  in  this  connection  it  is  in  accordance 
with  the  facts  to  maintain  that  it  serves  the  same 
purpose  now,  in  addition  to  its  character  as  a  dis- 
tinct Episcopal  insignia.  In  reference  to  the  relic 
of  the  true  Cross  contained  in  the  pectoral  cross, 
the  Cardinal  Vicar  of  Rome,  by  order  of  Leo  XIII, 
in  a  letter  to  all  the  bishops  bearing  date  March 
25,  1889,  reminds  them  that  since  these  relics 
may  become  exhausted,  the  pectoral  cross  of  a 


PECTORAL    CROSS 


Supplementary  Vestments 


497 


deceased  bishop  is  to  be  transmitted  to  his  successor 
as  his  lawful  heir,  and  the  proper  authorities  of  the 
vacant  See  are  instructed  to  execute  this  injunction. 

Tunic  and  Dalmatic 

These  will  be  described  later  as  sacerdotal  vest- 
ments. It  is  merely  necessary  to  say  here  that 
they  are  worn  by  the  bishop  because  he  possesses 
the  plentitude  of  the  priesthood  and  is  entitled  to 
wear  the  distinctive  vestments  of  every  rank  of 
the  sacred  ministry. 

Crazier. 

St.  Isidore  says'the  pastoral  staff  was  given  to 
a  bishop,  "that  he  may  rule  or 
correct  those  set  under  him,  or 
support  the  weakness  of  the 
weak." 

It  had  a  prototype  among  the 
insignia  of  the  heathen  priest- 
hood of  the  Hittites  and  Baby- 
lonians, and  one  of  the  emblems 
of  the  Roman  augurs  was  a  lituus 
or  crook,  with  which  they  divided 
the  sky  into  regions  for  astro- 
nomical purposes.  Whether  by 
accident  or  design  the  earliest 
pastoral  staves,  as  seen  in  the  be- 
ginnings of  Christian  art,  bear 
an  exact  resemblance  to  this 
augurial     crook,     being     much 


ROMAN    CR.OZ1ER 


49S 


The  Mass  and  \estments 


shorter  than  the  medieval  crozier.  This  re- 
semblance has  suggested  to  some  the  theory  that 
the  pastoral  staff  was  merely  a  Christian  adapta- 
tion of  this  pagan  implement. 

Other  writers  argue  in 
favor  of  the  crozier  being 
simply  the  decorated  and 
specialized  heir  of  the  com- 
mon walking-sticks  used  in 
churches  as  a  support  before 
the  introduction  of  seats,  a 
conjecture  devoid  of  evi- 
dential value  for  the  reason 
that  the  pastoral  staff  had 
been  installed  among  Episco- 
pal insignia  before  the  disap- 
pearance of  these  crutches. 
The  letter  of  Pope  Celestine 
(423-432)  to  the  bishops  of 
Narbonne  and  Vienne  is  the 
earliest  available  reference 
to  the  use  of  the  pastoral  staff  by  bishops,  thus 
establishing  it  as  one  of  the  very  primitive  ex- 
ternal symbols  of  authority  adopted  by  the 
Church.  It  was  earned  by  abbots,  abbesses, 
bishops  and  by  the  Pope  until  about  the  tenth 
century,  when  the  culmination  of  his  temporal 
sovereignty  and  the  affirmation  and  acceptance 
of  his  jurisdiction  over  the  universal  Church 
effected  the  laying  aside  of  an  emblem  which  was 


(JREEK  CROZIER 


Supplementary  Vestments  499 

associated  with  a  local  spiritual  pastorate.  In- 
nocent III  explains  farther  by  saying  that  "the 
blessed  St.  Peter  sent  his  staff  to  Eucharius,  the 
first  bishop  of  Treves,  which  staff  is  preserved 
with  great  reverence  in  its  cathedral,"  and  St. 
Thomas  Aquinas  confirms  this  tradition  ( Senten. 
IV,  quest.  3,  art.  3)  when  he  records  that  for 
this  reason  the  Pope  carries  the  pastoral  staff 
when  pontificating  in  Treves. 

In  the  beginning,  the  crozier  was  a  rod  of  wood 
with  a  head  crutched  or  crooked,  usually  of  one  of 
the  precious  metals.  There  is  not  always  uniform- 
ity in  the  shape  of  the  head:  knobs,  crooks,  Y  shapes 
and  the  inverted  U  form  of  the  Irish  staff  meet  us 
in  a  bewildering  medley.  As  late  as  the  eleventh 
century  the  tau-shaped  crozier  appears  on  many 
monuments. 

After  that  period  the  crook-headed  staff  is  the 
only  form  in  which  it  is  found.  The  material  was 
cedar,  cypress  or  ebony.  This  wood  was  often 
gilt,  or  overlaid  with  silver  plates.  In  the  twelfth 
centurv  the  staff  was  shod  with  iron  and  sur- 
mounted  with  a  knob  of  crystal,  above  which  the 
crook  of  carved  work  was  attached.  Suspended 
to  the  top  of  the  staff  was  a  streamer  or  napkin, 
sometimes  called  pannisellum  (a  small  silk  veil) 
like  the  lappet  of  the  mitre,  injula  (fillet).  Its 
primitive  use  was  to  serve  as  a  covering  to  keep 
the  moisture  of  the  hand  from  tarnishing  the 
metal  of  the  staff.     Some  abbots  still  retain  this 


500 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


appendage  to  their  croziers.  According  to  present 
usage  the  material  is  not  prescribed,  although  the 
metal  crozier  is  in  almost  universal  favor. 

Whilst  the  popular  conception  of  the  crozier 
allies  it,  by  an  inaccurate  etymological  analogy, 
with  the  word  cross,  the  true  derivation  identifies 
it  with  such  words  as  our  crotchet  and  crook. 
Its  symbolism  with  a  shepherd's  staff  is  the  pre- 
vailing interpretation  of  its  form  now,  as  it  has  been 
with  the  medieval  mystics,  although  Honorius  finds 
its  prototype  in  the  staff  of  the  Lord's  instruction 
to  the  Apostles,  "take  nothing  save  a  staff  only." 

Tradition  thus  inscribed  the  antique  crozier: 
round  the  crook,  "cum  iratus  Jueris,  misericor- 
dise  recordaberis,"  (when  thou  art  angered,  for- 
get not  mercy);  on  the  ball  below  the  crook, 
"Homo"  (man);  on  the  spike  of  the  bottom, 
"Parce"  (spare). 

Gremial. 

From  gremium  (the  lap),  a  square  knee-covering 

or  apron  of  pre- 
cious material, 
placed  on  the 
lap  of  the  offi- 
ciating bishop, 
both  at  Mass 
and  the  confer- 
ring of  Orders 

to  prevent  the  soiling  of  the  vestments  from  the 

superimposed  hands. 


GKKMIAI. 


Supplementary  Vestments  501 

Ring. 

In  Rome  of  the  classical  period  rings  were  used 
as  insignia  of  rank,  and  members  of  the  equestrian 
order  wore  a  ring  of  special  pattern.  It  is  men- 
tioned by  St.  Isidore  of  Seville  in  the  Acts  of  the 
Fourth  Council  of  Toledo,  and  then  it  vanishes  from 
all  the  pages  of  the  liturgists  of  the  early  medieval 
period  until  the  eleventh  and  twelfth  centuries, 
when  Honorius  of  Autun  and  Pope  Innocent  III 
refer  to  it.  On  two  points  is  the  evidence  of  the 
monuments  decisive:  first,  that  the  bishop  wore 
many  other  rings  besides  the  Episcopal  ring,  they 
probably  being  ornamental  and  secular;  second, 
that  it  was  worn  on  the  third  finger  of  the  right 
hand,  and  above  the  second  joint  of  that  finger, 
not  being  passed,  as  rings  are  now,  down  to  the 
knuckle.  It  was  kept  in  place  by  a  plain  guard- 
ring. 

The  ring  was  always  a  circlet  with  a  precious 
stone,  never  engraved,  ruby,  emerald  or  sapphire, 
and  often  large  enough  to  pass  over  the  gloved 
finger. 

Gloves. 

These  are  called  chirothecse  or  manicae,  and 
must  always  be  distinguished  from  the  manicce 
brachialia,  or  sleeves  of  coarse  cloth  which  the 
bishop  drew  over  his  arm  to  protect  the  apparels 
of  his  alb  from  the  water  in  baptism   by  immer- 


502 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


sion.  The  coldness  and  cheerlessness 
early  churches  were  responsible  for 
them,  and  their  original  use  was  very 
probably  to  keep  the  wearer's  hands 
warm.  About  the  ninth  century  they 
began  to  assume  a  sacred  character, 
and  by  the  twelfth,  Honorius  is  able 
to  classify  them  as  vestments.  Gloves 
of  this  period  were  richly  embroidered 
and  jewelled,  and  often  a  large  stone 
appears  at  the  back  of  each  hand. 


BISHOP'S 
GLOVE 


Rochet. 

The   word   is   derived   from   the   French,   the 

French  from  the  low 
Latin  rochettus,  and 
that  again  from  the  old 
High  German  hroch, 
rooch,  identical  with  the 
modern  High  German 
Rock  (a  coat) .  It  is  a 
vestment  of  linen  and 
lace — body  linen,  lace 
trimming,  with  close 
sleeves  reaching  to  the 
hands  and  worn  by 
bishops,  abbots,  canons 
sometimes,  and  prelates 
of  the  higher  rank.     It 


ROCHET 


Supplementary  Vestments 


503 


is  distinguished  from  the  surplice,  which  it  re- 
sembles, by  the  length  and  closeness  of  its  sleeves. 
Priests  privileged  to  wear  it  must  consider  it  a 
choir  vestment  and  cannot  wear  it  in  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  sacraments.  The  mozzetta 
and  uncovered  rochet  are  signs  of  plenary  juris- 
diction. 


Mozzetta. 

From  Mozzo,  mutilus,  (curtailed) 
vestment  of  velvet  or 
silk  worn  over  the 
rochet,  buttoned  over 
the  breast,  covering 
the  shoulders  and  with 
a  little  hood  behind. 
It  is  worn  by  the  Pope, 
cardinals,  bishops,  ab- 
bots and  privileged 
canons  like  those  of 
England.  The  Pope 
wears  five  varieties  of 
mozzetta  and  cardinals  four 
to  the  rank  of  the  wearer. 


A   short 


MOZZETTA 


Its  color  conforms 


Cappa  Magna. 

This  imposing  vestment  is  allied  to  the  Cope. 
The  barbarous  word  cappa  from  capere  (to 
cover)  was  first  used  to  designate  the  pluviale 
or  cope.    It  is  a  vestment  of  silk  or  fur  (ermine) 


504 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


according  to  the  sea- 
son, completely  en- 
veloping the  shoulders 
and  bust  of  the 
wearer  and  tapering 
behind  with  an  unus- 
ually long,  full  silk 
train.  It  is  worn  by 
cardinals,  bishops  and 
some  canons. 

Stockings. 

The  stock- 
ings (caligse) 
or  buskins 
seem  to  have 
been  originally 
an  exclusive  Papal 
appropriation,  bishops  being  content  with  a  some- 
what scanty  sandal.  Ivo  of  Chartres  (1115)  is  the 
first  to  mention  them  as  belonging  to  the  Episcopal 
wardrobe.  In  the  Middle  ages,  they,  like  some 
other  vestments,  forsook  their  primitive  simplicity 
and  became  enriched  with  elaborate  ornamenta- 
tion, to  return  to  it  again  in  our  day  with  the 
plain,  unadorned  silk  stocking. 

Sandals,  Slippers. 

The  Roman  citizen  in  the  early  days  for  foot- 
gear wore  mere  soles  secured  across  the  instep  by 


CAPPA    MAGNA 


Supplementary  Vestments  505 

one  or  more  thongs  of  leather  to  protect  the  feet 
from  stony  roads.  Such  a  sandal  must  have  been 
worn  by  the  clergy  long  after  the  introduction  of 
Christianity.  It  was  and  still  is  the  only  foot- 
covering  of  certain  monastic  Orders,  and  in  some 
cases  was  retained  by  the  monks  who  had  attained 
to  Episcopal  rank.  The  extension  of  the  Church 
in  the  northern  and  colder  regions,  and  the  im- 
portation of  foreign  customs  into  Rome  itself 
suggested  the  transformation  of  the  scanty 
sandal  into  a  more  appropriate  and  comfortable 
shoe. 

By  a  curious  contrivance,  however,  the  remem- 
brance of  the  old  fashion  was  preserved.  The  upper 
leather  of  the  shoes  was  fenestrated,  or  cut  into  open- 
work patterns  through  which  the  flesh  tint  of  the 
bare  foot  could  be  seen.  The  effect  was  merely 
heightened  when  the  Episcopal  stocking  was 
added  to  the  bishop's  equipment. 

This  fenestrated  sandal  was  abandoned  about 
the  fourteenth  century  in  favor  of  shoes,  very 
much  like  the  modern  ankle-shoe.  In  relinquish- 
ing the  decorative  effect  of  the  open-work,  the 
spirit  of  the  age  found  a  substitute  in  lavish  em- 
broidery and  ornamentation  with  jewels  and 
spangles  of  gold.  In  this  way,  the  Episcopal 
slipper,  to  be  worn  only  when  pontificating,  be- 
came as  elaborate  as  the  rest  of  the  ecclesiastical 
vestments. 


506  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

sacerdotal. 
Biretta. 

The  ordinary  head-covering  of  ecclesiastics,  a 
diminutive  derivation  from  birrus  (cape  or  hood) . 

Its  present  form  is  that  of  a 
stiff,  square  cap  with  three 
or  four  prominences  rising 
from  its  crown  and  a  tassel 
pendent,  or  attached  to  the 
biretta  centre  of  the  crown.     Doc- 

tors in  theology  by  right  wear  the  four- 
cornered  biretta  whilst  teaching.  By  prescription, 
priests  in  France,  Germany  and  Spain  wear  the 
three  and  four-cornered  birettas  indiscriminately. 
In  Italy,  however,  the  three-cornered  alone  is  worn. 

Benedict  XIV  testifies  that  in  Rome  and  many 
other  places  till  the  ninth  century  the  biretta  was 
unknown,  as  up  to  that  time  the  head  of  the 
celebrant  in  approaching  and  receding  from  the 
altar  was  covered  by  an  amice.  At  its  first  intro- 
duction it  had  two  forms  as  appears  from  the 
medieval  monuments:  one,  a  simple  dome-shaped 
skullcap  with  a  point  in  the  centre,  worn  by  uni- 
versity dons.  Its  present  fashion  comprising  an 
auxiliary  of  stiff  card-board  and  prominent  pro- 
jections was  soon  adopted  as  a  convenience  for 
manipulation  and  adjustment  to  the  head.  The 
material  then  was  a  woolen  cloth.  It  may  still  be 
wool,  silk  or  any  proper  stuff. 


Supplementary  Vestments  507 

In  the  beginning  its  color  was  consonant  with 
the  ordinary  ecclesiastical  vestments.  Since  the 
tenth  century  when  black  was  prescribed  for  the 
inferior  clergy,  the  black  biretta  is  the  legitimate 
head-covering. 

There  are  four  varieties  of  color  now  in  vogue: 
white,  red,  purple  and  black;  white  for  the  Pope, 
red  for  cardinals,  purple  for  bishops  and  black  for 
priests. 

Since  February  3,  1888,  by  concession  of  Leo 
XIII,  bishops  are  allowed  to  wear  the  purple 
biretta.  Prior  to  that  time  it  was  black  lined  with 
green.  Cardinals  and  bishops  may  also  wear  the 
black  biretta. 

The  biretta  is  appointed  to  be  worn  in  the  sanctu- 
ary during  the  less  solemn  portions  of  the  Mass. 
At  the  altar,  however,  the  celebrant,  be  he  the 
highest  dignitary,  is  forbidden  its  use.  This 
universal  custom  is  trespassed  upon  by  only  one 
exception— that  of  the  catholic  missionaries  in 
China.  This  concession  is  made  to  the  prejudice 
of  the  Chinese  to  a  head  bared  in  public.  Paul  V 
(1605-1621)  granted  to  these  missionaries  the 
privilege  of  wearing  the  biretta  even  at  the  Con- 
secration of  the  Mass,  with  this  restriction,  that  it 
be  not  the  biretta  of  every  day  life. 

The  older  religious  Orders  discard  the  biretta 
entirely  for  the  cowl. 


508  The  Mass  and  Vestments 

Cassock. 

The  cassock,  called  in  French  casaque,  but 
more  commonly  soutane,  is  that  long,  outer,  black 
garment  worn  by  priests  in  their  rectories  and  at 

all  sacred  functions.  In 
some  countries  it  is  also 
a  street  and  travel-worn 
vesture.  The  members 
of  religious  Orders  call 
it  a  habit.  Formerly  it 
was  called  pellicia  or 
pelisse  from  pellis  (skin 
or  hide),  because  some- 
times it  was  made  of  the 
skins  of  animals,  and 
oftener  with  cloth  lined 
with  fur.  Hence  the 
word  surplice — some- 
thing worn  over  a  fur-lined  garment. 

It  was  long  after  the  twelfth  century  before 
the  cassock  became  the  exclusive  garment  of 
clerics,  and  then  only  when  its  place  was  usurped 
by  the  more  convenient  short  coat.  Prior  to  this, 
it  was  the  raiment  of  all  alike,  clergy,  laity,  male 
and  female. 

Because  it  was  intended  for  warmth  it  was 
lined  with  furs.  This  custom  was  retained  long 
after  its  adoption  as  a  clerical  garment.  The  fur 
was  ermine  for  dignitaries  and  sheep-skin  for 
priests. 


CASSOCK 


Supplementary  Vestments 


509 


The  color  of  the  Pope's  cassock  is  white;  cardi- 
nals' red  and  violet;  of  bishops,  violet  and  black, 
red-trimmed;  of  prelates,  same  as  bishops;  of 
secular  priests,  black;  of  doctors  in  theology  and 
canon  law,  scarlet;  of  Camaldolese,  Cistercians, 
Carthusians  and  Dominicans,  white;  of  Sylves- 
trians,  dark  blue;  of  Jeromite,  gray;  of  Minor 
Conventuals  and  Minor  Observants,  ash  colored; 
of  Franciscans,  brown. 

When  a  monk  is  elevated  to  a  prelacy  or  cardi- 
nalate  he  still  retains  in  his  cassock  the  color  of 
his  religious  habit. 

The  peculiar  wings  of  some  students'  cassocks 
on  the  continent  are  interpreted  as  the  leading 
strings  whereby  tutors  kept  their  pupils  under 
control,  a  fashion  once  in  vogue  in  Rome. 

Surplice. 

From  its  fur  lin- 
ing the  cassock  was 
called  in  medieval 
Latin  the  pellicia; 
the  name  super- 
pellicia  (over  the 
fur)  was  according-  k  ;? 
ly  given  to  the  gar- 
ment worn  imme- 
diately over  it — a 
name  which  has 
passed  into  "sur- 
plice." 


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Supplementary  Vestments  511 

In  the  transitional  period,  from  the  fourth  to 
the  eighth  century,  the  alb  was  a  very  large  vest- 
ment. Its  generous  size  made  the  donning  of  the 
other  Mass  vestments  a  difficult  operation,  and  for 
this  reason  its  proportions  were  curtailed  to  meet 
the  requirements  of  the  new  vestments  being 
adopted.  The  modistes  went  to  the  other  ex- 
treme and  produced  a  vestment  which  was 
threatened  with  ruin  whenever  forced  on  an  ex- 
pansive fur-lined  cassock.  For  this  reason  a  new 
garment  was  invented,  which  retained  the  ampli- 
tude of  the  old  alb  without  its  impeding  length, 
and  was  worn  only  when  no  vestment  of  im- 
portance (except  the  Cope,  which  was  adaptable) 
was  put  over  it.  This  was  the  surplice.  Since 
its  adoption  it  has  varied  much  less  than  other 
vestments  in  form.  It  was  and  is  a  full  vestment 
of  white  linen  entire,  or  linen  trimmed  with  lace, 
or  lace  throughout,  extending  to  the  knee,  and 
less,  furnished  with  full  sleeves,  sometimes  long 
and  again  short.  The  medieval  surplice  had 
often  the  neck -band  embroidered  in  colored 
threads. 

Cope. 

Called  also  cavpa  and  pluviale  (rain  coat).  It 
is  an  expansive  vestment  of  silk  or  other  rich 
fabric  reaching  nearly  to  the  feet,  open  in  front, 
fastened  with  a  brooch  or  morse,  and  with  a  small 
triangular  or  semicircular  cape  at  the  back,  the 


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Supplementary  Vestments 


513 


COPE  (FRONT) 


survival  of  its  primitive  hood.  It  is  used  by- 
chanters  at  Vespers  and  by  the  celebrant  in  pro- 
cessions, benedictions,  etc.,  but  never  in  the  cele- 
bration of  Mass  according  to  the  Latin  rite.  Its 
acceptance  as  a  vestment  dates  back  to  the  ninth 
century.  Before  that  time  it  was  only  an  overcoat 
for  the  clergy  in  cold  or  draughty  churches,  or  in 
open-air  processions,  which  necessitated  its  fur- 
nishment  with  a  hood.     This  hood  having  become 


514 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


COPE   1BACK) 


superfluous  when  the  almuce  dislodged  it  as  a 
special  head-gear,  it  degenerated  like  so  many 
other  parts  of  vestments  into  a  mere  ornamental 
appendage  and  became  an  embroidered  flap. 

DIACONAL. 

Dalmatic. 

It  is  so  called  from  Dalmatia,  the  origin  of  the 
ancient  garment.     It  is  a  vestment  open  on  each 


Supplementary  Vestments 


515 


DALMATIC   (FRONT) 
FOR   DEACON   AND  SUB-DEACON 


side,  with  wide  sleeves  and  marked  with  two 
stripes.  It  is  worn  by  deacons  and  sub-deacons 
at  High  Mass,  processions  and  benedictions,  and  by 
bishops  under  the  chasuble  when  they  pontificate 
at  Mass.  The  color  should  conform  to  that  of  the 
chasuble  worn  by  the  celebrant. 
As  a  garment  of  daily  use  it  was  adopted  in 


516 


The  Mass  and  Vestments 


DALMATIC   (BACK) 


Rome  at  the  end  of  the  second  century.  It  was 
then  of  linen  or  wool,  richly  decorated,  allied  to  a 
variety  of  ungirdled  tunic,  worn  by  men  to  the 
knees,  and  by  women  to  the  ankles.  The  tunic 
was  visible  below  it,  and  on  the  neck  and  arms,  so 
that  both  garments  are  readily  recognized  in 
pictorial  representations. 

The  earliest  monuments  which  picture  the  dal- 
matic as  the  dress  of  deacons  are  the  mosaics  of 


Supplementary  Vestments  517 

Ravenna  in  the  middle  of  the  sixth  century,  and 
their  diaconal  appropriation  was  indisputable  be- 
fore that  date. 

The  Liber  Pontificalis  ascribes  to  Pope  St.  Syl- 
vester the  regulation  that  deacons  should  wear 
the  dalmatic  in  the  church.  In  the  life  of  St. 
Caesarius  of  Aries  it  is  related  that  Pope  Sym- 
machus  (498-509)  gave  his  deacons  the  privilege 
of  wearing  the  dalmatic,  as  was  the  custom  in  the 
Roman  church.  This  proves,  with  the  reinforce- 
ment of  the  monuments,  that  by  the  sixth  century 
the  vestment  was  generally  adopted. 

SUB-DIACONAL. 

Tunic. 

It  is  also  called  Tunicella.  This  is  simply  a 
small  variety  of  the  dalmatic  appropriated  to  the 
use  of  sub-deacons  and  bishops.  Gavantus  says, 
it  is  like  the  dalma- 
tic, only  a  trifle 
smaller.  This  dis- 
tinction is  now 
rarely  if  ever  ob- 
served and  the  two 
vestments  are  of 
the    same    pattern 

as  to  size  and  orna-  bishop  s  tunicl 

mentation.  It  is  worn  by  bishops  when  pontificat- 
ing, under  the  dalmatic. 

It  appears  about  820  as  a  sub-deacon's   vest- 


518  The  Mass  and  Vestment? 

ment,  and  later  as  a  bishop's  garment.  In  the 
ninth  century  bishops  appear  with  but  one 
vestment,  the  alb  under  the  chasuble;  between  the 
ninth  and  eleventh  centuries  the  dalmatic  makes 
its  appearance,  and  it  is  not  till  about  1200  that 
we  find  the  tunicle  illustrated  in  paintings  and 
effigies  of  bishops. 

In  classic  times  the  tunic  was  the  indoor  gar- 
ment of  the  Roman,  of  woolen  or  linen  texture, 
always  pure  white,  except  in  Egypt,  and  the 
literary  references  prove  that  this  linen  tunic 
was  adopted  in  the  ministrations  of  the  Church, 
at  least,  by  the  fourth  century. 


APPENDIX 


Appendix  523 

vide  p.  24. 

"There  is  no  Church  without  a  Liturgy,  nor 
indeed,  can  there  be  conveniently,  as  there  is  no 
school  without  a  grammar." 

"To  know  what  was  generally  believed  in  all 
ages,  the  way  is  to  consult  the  Liturgies,  not  any 
private  man's  writing." 

Table-talk  of  John  Selden, 
Linguist,  Jurist,  Statesman, 
p.  68,  Edition  of  1689. 


vide  pp.  34,  62,  66,  146. 

As  a  sample  of  the  difficulty  of  gathering  cor- 
rect information  on  Oriental  customs  we  may 
mention  the  days  on  which  the  Greeks  celebrate 
according  to  the  triple  Liturgy  in  vogue  among 
them.  King's  "Rites  of  the  Greek  Church,"  pp. 
131-134,  and  Richard  and  Giraud's  "Bibliotheque 
Sacree"  XV,  pp.  222-224,  give  the  following  classi- 
fication: 
Liturgy  of  St.  Basil: 

Eve  of  Christmas. 

Feast  of  St.  Basil,  January  1. 

Eve  of  Epiphany,  or  Feast  of  Lights. 

Five  Sundays  of  Lent. 

March  25.  Feast  of  Annunciation. 

Good  Friday. 

Holy  Saturday. 


524  Appendix 

Liturgy  of  the  Presanctifled: 

W  ednesdays  and  Fridays  in  Lent. 

Liturgy  of  St.  Chrysostom: 
On  all  other  days. 

C.  E.  Hammond's  "Liturgy  Eastern  and  West- 
ern," pp.  26-29,  gives  the  following  summary: 
Liturgy  of  St.  Basil: 

Eve  of  Christmas. 

Feast  of  St.  Basil. 

Eve  of  Epiphany. 

Five  Lenten  Sundays. 

Holy  Thursday. 

Holy  Saturday. 

Liturgy  of  the  Presanctifled: 

Sundays  and  Saturdays  of  Lent. 
March  25. 

Liturgy  of  St.  Chrysostom: 
On  all  other  days. 

The  most  casual  reader  will  recognize  the  in- 
accuracies and  contradictions  of  these  two  lists. 

The  correct  sequence  of  these  puzzling  Liturgies 
seems  to  be: 
Liturgy  of  St.  Basil: 

Eve  of  Christmas. 
Feast  of  St.  Basil. 
Eve  of  Epiphany. 
Five  Sundays  of  Lent. 
Holy  Thursday. 
Holy  Saturday. 


Appendix  525 

Liturgy  of  the  Presanctined: 

Week  days  in  Lent,  except  Saturdays. 

Liturgy  of  St.  Chrysostom: 
Palm  Sunday. 
Saturdays  of  Lent. 
March  25. 

All  other  days  not  pre-empted  by  the 
Liturgies  of  St.  Basil  and  the  Pre- 
sanctined. 
A  Mass  of  the  Presanctined  is  a  Mass  where  the 
Host  consumed  has  been  consecrated  in  a  prior 
Mass,  because  it  has  no  Consecration  of  its  own. 

The  orthodox  Greek  priest  does  not  celebrate 
every  day— only  on  Sundays  and  feastdays. 
Uniats  imitate  the  Latin  custom.  Celebrant  and 
altar  must  be  fasting— i.  e.  altar  must  not  have 
been  used  by  another  on  the  same  day.  There- 
fore, only  one  Liturgy  or  Mass  is  permissible  in  a 
Greek  orthodox  church  on  any  day.  The  Pre- 
sanctined is  usually  celebrated  on  the  Wednesdays 
and  Fridays  in  the  first  six  weeks  of  Lent  and  in 
Holy  Week,  except  Maundy  Thursday  and  Holy 
Saturday,  when  the  Basilian  Liturgy  is  followed. 
On  other  days  when  there  is  no  liturgical  service 
extra  loaves  are  consecrated  the  Sunday  preceding. 
These  are  dipped  in  the  consecrated  wine  of  the 
chalice  with  a  spoon,  deposited  in  another  chalice 
and  reserved  in  the  tabernacle  for  Communion. 

The  days  devoid  of  service  are  called  aliturgical. 
The  statement  that  it  is  not  found  in  the  dictionary 


526  Appendix 

is  incorrect.  In  the  Church  of  the  Latin  rite  Good 
Friday  is  an  aliturgical,  and  strictly  speaking,  so 
is  Holy  Saturday,  as  its  Mass  is  of  Easter  eve  and 
in  primitive  days  was  only  said  after  midnight  at 
the  close  of  Lent  and  the  Easter  vigil. 

Very  probably  in  the  early  Church  there  were 
many  such  aliturgicals  as  in  the  Greek  Church  of 
to-day.  Mass  was  offered  only  on  Sundays,  on 
the  few  festivals  then  recognized  and  perhaps  on 
the  anniversaries  of  martyrs,  the  bishop  officiating 
as  chief  celebrant  and  the  priests  co-celebrating 
with  him. 


vide  pp.  109-110. 

The  essence  of  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass. 

The  Mass  being  a  sacrifice  according  to  the 
teaching  of  the  Church  comprises  many  elements, 
each  of  which  conveys  an  idea  of  sacrifice.  The 
chief  of  these  attributes  are  Consecration,  obla- 
tion and  Communion.  This  conjunction  and 
variety  of  parts  accounts  for  the  diversity  of 
theological  opinions  in  determining  the  real  essence 
of  the  sacrifice.  The  Mass  being  a  composite 
function  admits  a  distinction  of  parts.  Some  are 
essential  and  others  are  integrant  or  integral 
contributing  to  the  wholeness  or  entirety  of  the 
sacrifice.  To  ascertain  the  essential  it  is  impera- 
tive to  sift  it  from  the  merely  integral. 


Appendix  527 

Hence  there  are  two  questions: 

(a)  In  what  action  of  the  Mass  does  the 
essential  element  of  sacrifice  repose? 

(6)  How  is  this  essential  element  of  sacrifice 
verified? 

The  answer  to  the  first  question  is  triple. 

(1)  The  answer  of  the  Thomists  (John  a  S. 
Thoma,  Dis.  p.  32,  a.  1).  They  taught  that  the 
essence  of  the  Eucharistic  sacrifice  is  to  be  sought 
in  those  actions  of  the  celebrant  which  follow 
Consecration,  viz:  The  oblation  made  in  these 
words  of  the  Canon,  "unde  et  memores  Domine 
*  *  *  off'erimus  praeclarae  Majestati  tuae  *  *  * 
Hostiam  puram  etc,"  and  the  breaking  of  the 
Host  with  its  mixture  with  the  Blood  in  the 
chalice,  etc. 

(2)  Cardinal  Bellarmine  (De  Missa,  1.  1.  c.  27) 
insists  that  the  essence  of  the  sacrifice  lies  in  the 
Consecration  of  the  sacred  species  of  bread  and 
wine  and  in  the  Communion  of  the  priest.  De 
Lugo  (Disp.  19,  Sect.  5,  n.  68)  gives  a  qualified 
approval  in  these  words:  "The  Consecration  car- 
ries with  it  the  full  equivalent  for  the  destruction 
of  the  victim,  and  the  Communion  pertains  to  the 
substance  and  integrity  of  the  sacrifice,  because 
thereby  the  victim  is  more  completely  consumed 
and  destroyed." 

(3)  Other  theologians  teach  that  the  separate 
Consecration   of  both  species,  without  any  other 


528  Appendix 

adjunct  supplies  the  sufficient  essence  of  the  Mass. 
The  Communion  of  the  sacrificant  is  held  to  be  an 
extrinsic  sacrificial  action  completing  the  sacrifice 
and  hence,  integral  but  not  essential,  for  the  reason 
that  the  Mass  presents  the  victim  under  the  species 
in  the  form  of  food  and  drink  and,  therefore,  pre- 
supposes Communion  to  complete  it. 

To  the  second  question  there  are  six  answers. 
Whilst  it  is  true  that  there  is  practical  unanimity 
among  theologians  in  accepting  the  Consecration 
as  embodying  the  essence  of  the  Mass,  there  is  a 
variety  of  explanations  of  this  fact.  There  are 
those  who: 

(1)  Teach  that  the  Consecration  is  synonomous 
with  the  Mass-essence,  because  in  it  and  by  it  the 
substance  of  the  bread  and  wine  is  destroyed. 

(2)  Suarez  (Disp.  75,  Sect.  5)  accepts  the  same, 
not  only  because  there  is  a  destruction  of  sub- 
stance, but  also  because  by  that  destruction  Christ's 
Eucharistic  presence  enters  in  and  begins  to  exist 
under  the  visible  forms  of  bread  and  wine. 

(3)  Cardinal  De  Lugo's  solution  recognizes 
transformation  more  than  destruction  as  the 
central  idea  in  Consecration,  because  by  it  Christ 
is  reduced  to  a  condition  of  food  and  drink,  which 
is  an  unspeakably  lower  state  bordering  on  death 
and  exinanition.  This  is  also  the  opinion  of 
Cardinal  Franzelin  (L.  c.  Th.  XVI) . 

(4)  Vasquez   recognizes    Consecration  as  the 


Appendix  529 

essence  of  the  sacrifice,  because  it  is  a  representa- 
tion and  commemoration  of  the  sacrifice  of  Christ 
on  the  Cross. 

(5)  Lessius  (De  Perfect.  Divin.  1.  12.  c.  13,  n. 
97),  Gonet  (Manuale,  torn.  6,  tract  4,  c.  12,  §  2.) 
and  others  see  in  Consecration  a  mystic  slaying 
by  separation  of  the  Bod)  from  the  Blood  which 
is  akin  to  real  death  and  averted  only  by  accident. 

(6)  P.  Billot  (L.  c.  th.  LIV)  reflects  the  popu- 
lar and  truest  opinion  when  Consecration  conveys 
to  him  the  mystic  destruction  of  Christ  the  victim 
under  another  form,  or  the  sacramental  separation 
of  the  Body  from  the  Blood  in  such  manner  that 
Christ  under  the  species  of  the  Eucharist  appears 
in  the  external  attitude  of  death  and  destruction, 
and  thus  exhibits  that  symbolic  representation  of 
a  real  sacrifice  where  the  victim  is  really  destroyed 
in  its  own  individual  form  or  species. 


On  page  131  is  recorded  a  compendium  of  the 
usages  and  privileges  of  the  Maronite  Church,  ac- 
cording to  the  available  authorities.  Having  a 
suspicion  of  its  inaccuracy  recourse  was  had  to  a 
Maronite  priest  for  more  accurate  information, 
and  by  his  direction  the  following  corrections  are 
made:  Communion  is  given  only  under  one 
species,  that  of  bread;  incense  may  be  used  at 
Low  or  High  Mass— in  Syria  at  both  services,  but 


530  Appendix 

in  foreign  missions  it  is  generally  absent  from  Low 
Mass;  special  services  and  the  more  solemn  part 
of  the  Mass  are  only  in  Syriac,  whilst  many  missal 
pages  are  divided  between  Syriac  and  Arabic  in 
parallel  columns.  Many  collects  are  read  or 
chanted  only  in  Arabic,  and  the  gospel  may  be 
similarly  dealt  with,  usually,  however,  in  Arabic. 
Only  the  Greek  bishops  are  elected  by  popular 
ballot.  Among  the  Maronites  there  are  no  bishops 
— only  archbishops.  On  the  death  of  a  Patriarch 
these  archbishops  convene  in  a  retreat  of  six  days, 
after  which  they  vote  for  the  new  Patriarch, 
whose  name  is  sent  to  Rome  for  confirmation. 
If  they  fail  to  nominate,  the  Pope  selects.  Instead 
of  altars,  the  Maronites  may  use  wooden  slabs, 
because  of  the  capriciousness  of  Mahometan 
fanaticism,  but  for  fifty  years  or  more  the  por- 
table altar,  linens,  etc.,  akin  to  the  Roman  rite  are 
also  in  use. 

The  following  statistics  of  the  Maronite  Church 
may  be  interesting:  Patriarch  1,  archbishops  12, 
priests  1400,  laity  800,000. 


vide  p.  245  (c) 

Ferdinand  Tetamus  in  his  Diarium  Liturgico — 
Theologico — Morale,  Rome,  1894,  p.  33,  quotes 
Rodriguez  (Sum.  1,  par.  c.  247,  n.  6)  affirming 
the  extension  of  this  privilege  of  three  Masses  on 


Appendix  531 

All  Souls  to  non-resident  priests  with  this  restric- 
tion, that  all  Masses  in  excess  of  one  must  be 
offered  for  All  Souls. 


vide  p.  323, 

As  the  statement  of  the  ministering  of  the  Holy 
Eucharist  to  the  dead  may  be  questioned,  as  it  has 
been  denied,  the  reader  is  referred  to  Bishop 
Gabriel  Albaspini  (De  Veteribus  Eccles.  Ritibus, 
Paris,  1623,  f.  65)  and  John  Baptist  Casalius 
Roman  (De  Sacris  Christianorum  Ritibus,  Frank- 
furt, 1681,  f.  131)  for  its  corroboration.  In 
primitive  times  Catechumens,  dying  suddenly  be- 
fore Baptism,  were  baptized  after  death,  and  public 
Penitents  dying  before  reconciliation  were  ab- 
solved and  given  Communion  when  dead.  The 
reason  given  for  the  uncanny  ceremony  was 
that  the  dead  might  not  remain  disjoined  from 
the  communion  of  the  faithful.  These  authors 
ascribe  the  practice  to  simplicity  and  superstition 
never  endorsed  by  the  Church.  Councils  of  Carth- 
age and  Auxerre  forbade  it  and  the  second  of 
Aries  authorized  a  bond  of  union  to  be  re-estab- 
lished not  by  Communion  after  death  but  by  the 
material  oblation  made  at  the  offertory  of  the 
Mass  by  the  relatives  for  that  special  intention. 


INDEX. 


Abyssinians,  rite  of,  36. 

Adrien  II,  132. 

Agiasmos,  46. 

Alb,  what  other  names,  439; 
origin,  440;  shape  and  use,  441; 
clavus,  443;  ornamentation, 
material,  445;  significancy,  446. 

Albeit  Magnus,  118 

Alexander  II.  230. 

Alexander  VII,  182. 

Alleluia,  295. 

Alms  or  stipends  for  Masses, 
origin,  reasons  for,  210-211; 
names  for,  211;  opposition  to, 
212;  present  status  and  reasons 
for,  212;  alms  and  simony,  213; 
Council  of  Trent  prohibits,  215; 
alms  and  rich  priest,  215; 
concelebration,  215;  who  fixes 
stipend,  216;  what  factors,  216; 
uniformity  of,  217;  average 
stipend  in  U.  S.,  217;  obliga- 
tion of  218-229;  how  disposed, 
220-226;  for  one  Mass  only, 
230;  where  this  originated,  230- 
231;  exceptions  to,  231. 

Almuce,  what,  435. 

Altar,  what,  material  of,  307; 
significancy,  308;  requisites  of, 
309;  various  kinds,  309-310; 
portable  310;  how  forfeit  conse- 
cration, 312;  dimensions  of,  312; 
sepulchre  of,  313;  where 
sepulchre, 313;  relics  and  incense 
of,  314-315;  oriental  altars, 
316;  canopies  of,  319;  papal, 
317;  privileged,  333;  time  limit, 
334;  origin  of  privilege,  335; 
fixed  altar  and  privilege,  336; 
personal  privilege,  342;  Gre- 
gorian, 343;  altar  cloths,  345; 
significancy  of,  346. 


Ambrose,  St.,  63,   116,   123,  315. 
Ambrosian  Liturgy,  37;  what,  38; 

general    features,     38;     use     in 

Milan,  39,  63. 

Ambrey,  324. 

Amen,  295. 

Amice,  what,  other  names,  use  of , 

432;     mystical     meaning,     434; 

when  a  vestment,  435. 

Anagnosis,  46. 

Antependium,  347. 

Anthologion,  46. 

Antiphonary,  46,  79,  399. 

Apocalypse,  72. 

Ara  coeli,  307. 

Aramaic,  127. 

Architecture,  ecclesiastical,  25,  53. 

Armenian  rite,    what  peculiar  to 

it,  its  source,  35. 
Armenian  language,   where,  133. 
Augustine,  St.,  24,  116,  315. 

Baptistery,  46. 

Basil,  St..   rite    of,    36,  62,    130, 

appendix. 
Basilica,  what,  55. 
Bell    why  rung  and  silent,  385. 
Bellarmine,    Cardinal,    117,   119, 

335. 
Bellord,  Bishop,  89. 
Benedict  XIV,  44,  45,   132,  216, 

231,  245. 
Benedictionary,  46. 
Biretta,  506, 

Bona,  Cardinal,  69,  187. 
Borromeo,'St.,  312. 
Bouvier,  230. 


534 


Index 


Bread,  how  prepared,  205;  leaven- 
ed or  unleavened,  206,  411, 
416. 

Breviary,  what,  42;  an  Epitome, 
parts  of,  by  whom  published,  43. 

Bulgarian  language,  135. 

Burse,  384. 


Cajetan,  Cardinal,  121. 

Calvin,  John,  117. 

Candles,  why  used,  406;  material, 

407;  exceptions,  408;  how  many 

for    Mass,    410;     Consecration 

candle,  411. 
Canon,  298. 

Canopy  of  altar,  317,  330. 
Cappa  Magna,  503. 
Cardinals,     red    hat   and    biretta, 

486. 

Cards,  altar,  404. 

Cassock,  508. 

Catacombs,  what,  51,  52. 

Catechumens,  how  divided,  76. 

Cathedral,  what,  how  divided,  56. 

Celestine,  Pope,  24. 

Celsus,  72. 

Celtic  Liturgy,  37;  what,  40. 

Cemeteries,  48;  what,  60. 

Ceremonial  of  bishops,  what,  by 
whom  published,  45. 

Ceremony,  what,  26. 

Cere-cloth,  349. 

Chalcedon,  Council  of,  133. 

Chaldaic  language,  131. 

Chalice,  what,  material,  352-3; 
various  kinds,  354;  material  of, 
356;  exceptions,  356;  reasons 
for  exceptions,  357;  how  di- 
vided, 357;  parts  of,  359;  ac- 
companiments, 360;  consecra- 
tion of,  362;  how  lose  consecra- 
tion, 364;  who  may  touch,  364. 


Chapel,  what,  58. 
Charlemagne,  39. 
Chasuble  of  St.  Peter,  69;  chasu- 
ble, what,  names  for,  464; 
material,  origin,  466;  first  men- 
tion of,  471;  when  form  changed, 
472;  Gothic  chasuble,  475;  why 
folded  in  Lent,  476;  significancy 
of,  478. 

Chrysostom  Liturgy,  34,  130,  ap- 
pendix. 

Chrysostom,  St..  116. 

Church,  derivation,  48;  construc- 
tion 49;  when  dedicated,  50; 
architecture,  53;  part  of,  54; 
Church,  collegiate,  parish, 
simple,  57. 

Ciborium,  368;  accompaniments 
of,  369. 

Cincture,  436-438. 

Clement  VIII,  43,  45,82. 

Clement  X,  44. 

Clement,  St.,  61,  71. 

Clementine  Liturgy,  70,  76 

Cloths  of  altar,  345. 

Cochlear  (spoon)  360. 

Collect,  293. 

Comb  (pecten)  361. 

Communion,  how  received,  302- 
304;  and  of  both  species,  355; 
exceptions,  356. 

Confiteor,  291. 

Constantine,  78. 

Constantinople,   Liturgy  of,  7S 

Constitution,  apostolic,  70,  76. 

Cope,  511. 

Coptic  rite,  what,  35. 

Copts,  name,  religion,  liturgy, 
133.  134 

Corporal,  378;  characteristics,  378. 

Creed,  296. 

Cross,  sign  of,  290. 

Cross,  pectoral,  496. 


Index 


535 


Crozier,  origin,  when  introduced, 
material,  name,  497,  500. 

Crucifix,  use  of,  389;  exceptions, 
389;  size  of,  390;  where  placed, 
390;  history  of,  391;  decrees 
pertaining  to,  394. 

Cruets,  384. 

Crypts,  48;  what,  59. 

Custodia,  373. 

Cyprian,  St.,  323. 

Cyril,  St  ,  35,  62,  116. 

D'Agreda.  Mary  Venerable,  126. 
Dalmatic,  514. 
Damasus,  St. ,  70. 
Dawn,    meaning   of,     251;    when 
appear,  is  it  uniform,  251. 

DeLugo.  103,  110,  119,  159,  164, 
166,  172,  182,  183,  184,  186, 
189,  190,  192,  194,  196,  197, 
200    202. 

Diaconicon,  46. 

Dicastillo,  160,  184,  196. 

Disciplina  arcani,  75,  124. 

Discipline  penitential,  76. 

Diurnal  of  Popes,  46. 

Diurnal,  46. 

Duchesne,  63. 

Eck.  127. 

Electricity,  when  legitimate,   409. 

Ephesus,  Council  of,  132. 

Epistolary.  46. 

Ethiopic  language,  134. 

Eucharistic,  sacrifice,  92. 

Eucharist,   how    many    parts  and 

essentials,     205;     how    kept     in 

tabernacle,  321,  324-328. 
Eucologion,  46. 
Eulogies  or  sacrifices,  who  made 

them,     207;     how    made,    208; 

when  cease,  209. 


Eutyches,  133. 

Evangelary,  46,  79,  399. 

Excommunicants,    how    classified 
as  to  Mass  fruits,  201. 

Fan  (flabellum)  361. 
Fanone,  484. 
Feet,  covering,  289. 
Felix,  Pope,  29. 
Fistula  (reed)  360. 
Franzelin,     Cardinal,     103,     110, 
182. 

Gallican  Liturgy,  37;  what,  39; 

how    differ    from    Rome,     how 

cease,  39. 
Gas,  when  and  where  legitimate, 

409. 
Geez,  language,  36. 
Gelasian  sacramentary,  65. 
Gelasius,  Pope,  70,  250. 
Genevieve,  St.,  69. 
Genicot,  309. 
Gloria  in  Excelsis,  293. 
Gloves,  501. 
Gnostics,  72. 
Gong,  386. 

Gospel,  296;  of  St.  John,  305. 
Gousset,  230. 
Graduale,  46,  295. 
Grail,  holy,  352. 
Greek  language,  127-129 
Gregory,  St.,  rite  of,  36. 
Gregory  XIII,  44,  214,  335. 
Gregory.  Nazianzen,  69. 
Gregory,   Great,  81,  61,    65,    70, 

77,  81,  116,  335,  343. 
Gregorian  altar,  343. 
Gremial,  500. 

HisPANO-Gallican  Liturgy,  78. 


536 


Index 


Holocaust  sacrifice,  92. 

Holy  Communion,   how  received, 

302-304 
Host,    elevation,     breaking.    300; 

reservation      of,     375;      among 

Orientals,  377 

Ignatius,  Martyr,  116. 

Impetratory  sacrifice   92. 

Incense,  symbolism  of,  387. 

Indulgence  and  privileged  altar, 
337;  plenary,  what.  338;  whence 
derived,  339;  can  it  remit  sin, 
339;  conditions  for.  340;  uncer- 
tainty of  application,  341;  how 
applied,  342;  why  suffrage.  342. 

Innocent  IV.,  132. 

Introit,  292. 

Irenaeus,  St.,  72. 

Ite,  missa  est,  304. 

Jacobites,  who,  133 

James.  St.,  Liturgy  of,  36,  131. 

Jerome,  St.,  69. 

John  VIII,  132. 

Julius  II,  335. 

Justin,  St.,  72,  75. 

Kyrie  Eleison,  292. 

Lacroix,  Mass  intention,  199 

Latin,  elements  of,  why  used,  32, 

137;  where  used,  129. 
Layman,  theologian,  180. 
Lebanon,  Mount,  Council  of,  216. 
Le  Brun,  70,  72. 
Lection ary.  79,  399. 
Legendary,  46. 
Leo,  St.,  61,  70 

Leo  XIII,  24,  41,  83,  132.  231. 
Leonian  sacramentary,  what,  37. 


Liturgicon,  46. 

Liturgy — Meaning  and  derivation, 
21;  advantages,  23;  how  it 
affects  individuals,  society, 
theology,  arts,  23,24;  its  origin. 
25;  how  differ  from  Judaism,  26; 
what  derived  from  pagans,  26; 
Church  controls,  28;  Papal  con- 
trol, 29;  Liturgy  and  bishops, 
30;  language  of.  31;  different 
kinds.  34-41;  Liturgic  books, 
42;  Liturgic  places,  48;  of  the 
Mass,  61,  65;  Greek  St.  James, 
62;  St.  Mark,  62,  78,  125. 

Lunette,  372. 

Malabar  liturgy,  62. 

Maniple,  what,  name  of.  origin, 
447;  use  of,  how  worn,  449; 
development  of.  450;  in  Orient- 
al church,  452;  significancy, 
452. 

Maronites,  231,  appendix 

Martyrology,  what,  by  whom  pub- 
lished, and  when  read,  44. 

Mary,  Queen  of  Scots,  323. 

Mass,  first  Mass,  69;  type  of,  72; 
author  of  94;  what,  how  Trent 
defines,  95;  identity  with  Cal- 
vary, 96;  how  differ,  98;  how 
death  on  Cross  is  represented  by 
Consecration  98-99;  is  it  only 
representative,  101-104;  who 
the  high  priest,  105;  end  of, 
107;  to  whom  offered,  108; 
memorable  qualities,  108;  is  it 
a  sacrifice,  109;  wherein  essence, 
109;  moot  points  of,  110;  Old 
and  New  Testament  prove  Mass 
to  be  a  sacrifice,  111-115;  the 
liturgies  also,  115;  tradition  of. 
115;  names  of,  123;  origin  of 
name,  124;  what  name  among 
Greeks,  125;  when  and  by  whom 
first  Mass,  125-126;  its  language, 
127;  its  various  names,  138-152; 
Requiem  Masses  when  said,  147- 


Index 


537 


151;  indulgences  of  first  Mass 
of  priest,  152;  postures  at,  152- 
154;  efficacy  and  fruits  of,  156- 
204;  fruit  ex  opere  operands  et 
ex  opere  operato,  169;  its  infi- 
nite efficacy,  170;  measure  of  its 
efficacy,  175-184;  its  infallibility 
181-192;  its  application  an 
quality,  193-204;  Missae  Novae, 
224;  where  may  be  celebrated, 
232;  where  offered  before  Trent 
234;  where  now.  235;  Mass  on 
shipboard,  237;  in  Mortuary 
Chapel,  237;  how  ofte  i  daily, 
239;  origin  of  frequent  celebra- 
tion, 238;  its  restraint,  240; 
present  law,  241;  when  two 
Masses,  241;  distance  and  num- 
ber required,  242;  how  regu- 
lated in  United  States,  242;  ex- 
ceptions to  the  general  law,  244; 
when  Mass  offered,  day,  247; 
Mass,  when  in  Milan  and  in 
East,  248;  what  hour  in  ancient 
church,  249;  what  hour  now, 
250;  is  there  margin,  252;  what 
hour  in  Polar  regions,  252;  ex- 
ceptions as  to  hour,  253-258; 
Mass,  structure  of.  259-287; 
Mass,  fast  and  exceptions,  288- 
289;  requisites  for,  306;  how 
Pope  celebrates,  318,  484. 

Melchior  Canus,  12. 

Melchite  Catholics,  129-131. 

Memorial  of  rites,  45. 

Menaehon,  47. 

Menologe,  47. 

Missal,  what,  by  whom  published, 
42,  81,  82-84,  398;  author  of, 
399;  beginning  of ,  299;  varieties 
of,  401;  why  varieties,  401; 
further  observations,  403 

Mitre,  origin,  when  introduced, 
transformation,  how  classified, 
492-495. 

Monophysites,  133. 

Mortuary  Chapel,   Mass  in,  237. 


Mostarab,  verb,  64. 

Mozarabic  Liturgy,  37;  what,  39; 

origin    and    present    status,  40, 

63,  64. 
Mozzetta,  503. 

Nestorius,  132. 

octavary,  46. 

Offertory,  297. 

Oil,  331,  411. 

Orarium,  459-460. 

Oratory,  what,  how  divided,  58; 

privileges,  59. 
Ordines  Romani,  37,  46,  80. 
Origen,  72. 
Osculatory,  386. 
Ostensorium,  371. 

Pall,  380-381. 

Pallium,  early  history,  what,  when 

blest,  487-491. 
Palmer,  Sir  William,  63. 
Paroissien,  46. 
Paschal  I,  335. 
Passional,  46. 
Paten,    what,    365;  size,  why  held 

by    sub-deacon,    366;     material 

of,  367;  when  lose  consecration 

367. 
Paul  V,  44. 
Pax,  the,  301. 
Pelagians,  24. 
Penitential  canons,  46. 
Penitents,  public,  76,  124. 
Pentecostarion,  47. 
Pepin,  King,  39. 
Perrone,  S.  J..  100. 
Pius  V,  43,  81,  83,  305,  400. 
Pius  IX,  41,  231. 
Pius  X,  237. 


538 


Index 


Pius  IV,  400. 

Pontifical,  what,  by  whom  pub- 
lished, 45. 

Portable  Altar,  privilege  of  237; 
who  have  it,  238;  Regulars  and 
portable  altar,  238. 

Preface,  298. 

Presanctified  Liturgy,  34,  130  and 
appendix. 

Privileged  Altar,  331 
Probst,  70. 
Processional,  46. 
Propitiatory,  92. 
Psalter,  46. 
Purificator,  381-383. 
Pyx,  370. 

Rabanus  Maurus,  426. 

Renaudot,  68. 

Ribbons,  missal,  398 

Ring,  501. 

Rite,  what,  27. 

Ritual,  what,  by  whom  published. 

44. 
Rochet,  502. 

Roll  of  Ravenna,  37. 

Roman  Liturgy,  what,  usage, 
documents  of,  37. 

Rubrics,  meaning,  derivation, 
where  found,  27;  how  divided, 
28,  61;  derivation,  398. 

Rumanian  Language,  135. 

Ruthenian  Language,   135. 

Sacramentary,     Leonian,    Gre- 
gorian,   Gelasian,  37,  65,  399. 
Sacred  Congregation  of  rites,  30. 

Sacrifice,  what,  derivation,  85 
notes  of,  origin,  86;  significa 
tions  of,  87;  how  offered,  88 
what  impulses  behind,  why 
shed  blood,  90;  ends  of,  91 
how  many  kinds,  92;  why  fire, 
92. 


Sacristies,  48,  60. 

Salamanca,  64,  78. 

Salamanca,   Theologians  of.    174. 

Salvador,  St.,  chapel  of,  64. 

Sanctuary  Lamp,  331;  decrees  for, 
379;  oil  for,  376,  411. 

Sandals,  504. 
Schanz.  Paul,  Dr.,  89. 
Sepulchre    of    Altar,     79;    what, 
where,  313. 

Sixtus,  Pope,  29,  44. 
Slavonic  Language,  where,     132. 
Stations,  what,  56,  421. 
Strabo.  Walafridus,  427. 

Stephen  II,  39. 
Stockings,  504. 

Stole,  what,  how  worn,  453;  why 
worn,  454;  how  derived,  455; 
its  primitive  use,  456;  its  social 
origin,  459;  decrees  pertaining 
to,  461;  in  Oriental  Church, 
462;  symbolic  meaning,  463. 

Strainer  (colum)  361. 

Suarez,  173,   175,  176,  177,  187, 

190,  202 
Subcingulum,  what,  437. 
Surplice,  509. 
Sylvester,  Pope,  29,  308. 
Syriac  rite,  34;  groups  of,  35. 
Syro-Chaldaic,  127. 

Tabernacle,  name,  object  of, 
320;  position;  material,  form, 
328;  decorations,  blessing,  330. 

Tabernacle  lamp,  331. 
Tertullian,  72. 
Thabor,  332. 
Thalamus,  324. 
Thomassin,  116. 

Thomas  Aquinas,  St.,  118,  169, 
180,  184,  192,  197,  250,  309. 

Thurible,  387. 


Index 


539 


Tiara,  when  first  used  and  mean- 
ing of,  485. 

Time,  how  computed,  252. 

Toledo,  cathedral,  64,  78. 

Towel,   (finger)  384. 

Tract.  295. 

Trent,  Council  of,  81,  95,  101, 
167,  250,  400. 

Tunic,  517. 

Typicon,  46. 

Ubbi.es    or    Hosts,     what.     208; 

when  cease,  209. 
Urban  VIII,  42,  43,  44. 

Vasquez,  Gabriel,  S.J.,  100,  10.', 

109,  179,  184,  194,  198. 
Vaughan,  Cardinal,  100. 
Veil,  384. 

Verona  Manuscript,  38. 
Vesting,  290. 


Vesperal,  350. 

Vestments,  study  of,  two  methods, 
424;  development,  427;  in- 
formation on,  428-431;  color  of, 
479;  supplementary  colors,  480; 
meaning  of,  481;  when  used, 
482;  supplementary  vestments, 
483. 

Victor  I,  Pope,  29. 

Washing  of  hands,  289. 
Water  mixed  with  wine,  420. 
Wine,    how    prepared,    205;   how 

much   alcohol,    206,    417,    419; 

licit  and  illicit  wine,  416. 

Worship,  meaning,  public,  pri- 
vate, 21;  motives  of,  22;  private 
insufficient,  23. 

Ximenhs,  Cardinal,  64,  78. 
Zucchetto,  495. 


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